A new tourism law was approved in Saudi Arabia by way of a resolution issued by the Council of Ministers.
It allows new or experimental tourism businesses to receive special licences and support from the Ministry of Tourism. It will also streamline licensing processes and procedures by creating a one-stop platform for tourism stakeholders. Both initiatives were announced in February 2022 as part of the Ministry’s Digital Tourism Strategy.
The law also extends the ministry’s remit for swift collaboration with government entities to mitigate risks and manage crises, according to Saudi Press Agency.
The Council of Ministers further approved a resolution to empower the Ministry of Tourism to enable sector growth by giving it permission to facilitate tax and custom exceptions or reductions with related government entities and to create incentives for businesses to invest into the kingdom’s tourism sector.
It also enables the ministry to work collaboratively with other private sector entities to establish plans and training programmes, enabling job creation and training for Saudis.
The law contains key data considerations, stipulating the establishment of an information database containing statistics and information on all aspects of the Saudi tourism sector in line with international best practices.
“In our continued work to develop, promote and enable an internationally competitive tourism sector as a key pillar of Vision 2030, we are delighted to announce the approval of the new tourism law in Saudi Arabia which will drive business and investment, support innovation and attract tourists. This law follows the kingdom’s recent announcement of the Regional Tourism Development Councils Regulation, a major milestone in advancing Saudi Arabia’s National Tourism Strategy. The regulation will accelerate the development of tourist destinations in the various regions, including Neom, Al-Soudah, the Red Sea, and Diriyah Gate,” said Ahmed Al Khateeb, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism.
According to the goals of the kingdom’s National Tourism Strategy and Vision 2030, it aims to attract 100 million new visits, ensure that tourism contributes 10 per cent to the country’s GDP and creates 1 million new jobs within the industry.
