RIYADH — Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Tourism has closed more than 250 tourism hospitality facilities operating in the country without obtaining a license. As part of a campaign under the slogan of "Our guests are a priority", the ministry carried out more than 9,260 inspection tours on tourism hospitality facilities across the Kingdom. The inspection tours aim to follow up and develop the sector to increase the quality of provided services in a way that reflects positively on the experience for visitors and tourists and ensures their safety. The ministry said the violating hospitality facilities would remain closed until they correct their conditions and obtain the necessary licenses. The Tourism Ministry started to carry out monitoring tours after a series of updates in the systems and regulations for the tourism sector in line with the best practices applied globally. It also raised the awareness of those dealing with the sector by conducting several media and field campaigns. The ministry granted a grace period of 3 months for operators in the sector to correct their status, in line with the Tourism Law and newly issued regulations. The ministry confirmed that the licensed tourism hospitality facilities are also subject to continuous monitoring and follow-up to ensure their continued commitment to providing high-quality services to visitors and tourists. The aim of implementing penalties against violators is to effectively apply the Tourism Law and its regulations and to achieve justice in the sector, in addition to developing the services and increasing their quality, in addition to creating an environment that attracts local and foreign investment. This comes within the framework of developing a sustainable tourism sector to attract 150 million tourists to Saudi Arabia by 2030. The ministry confirmed that it would continue to carry out monitoring tours on all tourism facilities in different regions of Saudi Arabia. It stressed the need for all tourism service providers to adhere to laws and regulations related to the quality of services they provide and ensure the satisfaction and safety of tourists and visitors they serve.
