Saudi legal expert Nayef bin Hamad has warned that those who practice hospitality activities in Saudi Arabia without licensing from authorities shall pay fines of up to SR1 million.
The penalties also include shutting down the business place and naming to shame the violator, Gulf News reported.
Crucially, these regulations align with a government circular issued to various categories such as travel agents and operators of tourism services, hospitality facilities, and daily rentals.
In the light of this, he indicated that obtaining the operation license from the Saudi Ministry of Tourism must meet specific requirements. Furthermore, the whole process should be completed before the related units can appear on local and international rental platforms.
It is worth mentioning that Saudi Arabia has recently launched a host of facilities to attract more foreign tourists.
Under a system launched in 2019, the facilities include the issuance of tourist visas on arrival or online for citizens of several nationalities.
According to recent data from the United Nations Tourism Organization, the Kingdom secured a noticeable increase of 73% in international tourist arrivals.
The September 2024 World Tourism Barometer also indicates that tourism revenues witnessed an impressive 207% surge compared to the same period in 2019.
The Kingdom welcomed approximately 17.5 million international tourists during the first 7 months of 2024.
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