Developing tourism sector in Saudi Arabia: Ten new regulations launched
The Ministry of Tourism has launched 10 new regulations to develop the tourism sector to keep pace with the renaissance that Saudi Arabia is witnessing in diverse fields.
The 10 new regulations have been launched in order to contribute in providing an attractive environment for investment that takes into account ease of business, innovation, and sustainability.This is in addition to improving the quality of provided services and protecting the rights of tourists, as well as supporting the sector and increasing job opportunities.
The new regulations have taken into account the needs of the tourism sector. They were drafted after reviewing the opinions and observations of various stakeholders.
It has also covered the tourism hospitality facility, traveling and tourism services, tourist guides, tourism hospitality facilities management, tourism consultancy, private tourist hospitality facility, experimental activities, inspection of tourism activities, as well as the committees to look violations of the tourism law and tourist destinations.
Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb has clarified that the new regulations come as a completion of the steps that the ministry is working on to achieve the goals of the general strategy for the development of national tourism.
“These regulations would allow the ministry to strengthen cooperation with the private sector, and to offer job opportunities for the national competencies in the tourism sector,” Al-Khateeb said.
The minister noted that that these regulations have also added new activities to the tourism market, and provisions for organizing control and inspection to guarantee the quality of the services provided.
He also pointed out that the regulations issued based on the tourism law were prepared in accordance with international best practices that were selected based on the index of the top 10 countries in the Travel & Tourism Competitiveness issued by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
It also comes in line with the directives of the Kingdom’s leadership to build a competitive tourism sector globally.
Moreover, the ministry has given tourism agencies and operators a period of 90 days to adjust their conditions in line with the new conditions and standards.
The ministry has also asked the agencies and operators in the tourism sector to take into account the contents of the new regulations when undertaking their activities in order to preserve the rights of tourists, and the quality of the services offered, and also to avoid being subjected to legal penalties and fines.
The new regulations can be accessed through the ministry’s website, or via the ministry’s official social media channels.