Saudi Arabia removes hotel licence fees to boost tourism

Dubai: Saudi Arabia announces the elimination of fees for issuing commercial activity licenses for hotels, hotel apartments, and residential resorts, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

The change, effective September 4, is part of the tourism investment enabler programme introduced in March.

This programme aims to transform Saudi Arabia into a global tourism hub.

“This decision comes in line with the goals of the Kingdom’s [Saudi Arabia] Vision 2030 to make Saudi one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the world,” SPA said in a press release.

Saudi Vision 2030 is a programme launched in 2016, with a main aim of diversifying the economy away from oil.

SPA noted that the initiative is designed to attract more investment into the tourism sector, thereby boosting its contribution to the country's gross domestic product.