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Saudi Arabia to allow unmarried foreign couples in hotel rooms Saudi Arabia to allow unmarried foreign couples in hotel rooms
(about 1 hour later)
Saudi Arabia has announced it is to allow unmarried foreign couples to rent hotel rooms together as the ultra-conservative kingdom begins offering tourist visas for the first time. Saudi Arabia has lifted some restrictions on women traveling in the ultraconservative Muslim kingdom, its tourism authority said, with new guidelines allowing women to rent hotel rooms without a male guardian’s presence, and foreign men and women to share a room without proof of marriage.
The tourism authority said in a statement on Twitter on Sunday that Saudi women travelling alone would also be able to check into a hotel by presenting valid ID. In the past, couples wanting to stay in a hotel had to prove they were married. The easing of stringent regulations governing social interactions comes after Riyadh launched its first tourist visa scheme, as part of efforts to open up the country to foreign visitors and diversify its oil-reliant economy.
“This is no longer required for tourists,” the statement said. The Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage posted the new requirements on Twitter on Sunday. Women will be allowed to rent hotel rooms with proof of identityor if they have a male guardian present who does have proof of identity.
Saudi Arabia announced on 27 September it was opening its doors to holidaymakers with the goal of diversifying its oil-dependent economy. The move comes amid deep reforms over the past year by the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, who has lifted a ban on cinemas in the kingdom and the world’s only ban on women driving.
The kingdom had previously only issued visas to Muslim pilgrims, foreign workers and recently to spectators at sporting or cultural events. Critics say there are limits to the reforms, pointing to last year’s killing of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul and the reported torture of several detained women’s rights activists.
Kickstarting tourism is one of the centrepieces of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 programme to prepare the biggest Arab economy for a post-oil era. Saudi Arabia announced the new tourist visa scheme last week, saying it was aiming to increase tourism and hoping to push its contribution to GDP from its current 3% to 10%. For the launch of its new visa, the country was highlighting its five Unesco World Heritage sites, contemporary art sites and natural sites including the Red Sea, desert and mountains.
Citizens from 49 countries are now eligible for online e-visas or visas on arrival, including the US, Australia, UK and several other European nations. The one-year, multiple-entry visa scheme allows for stays of up to 90 days at a time and marks the first time the country is allowing foreigners to visit solely for the purpose of tourism. Citizens of 49 eligible countries can apply online or on arrival, while those from other countries will have to apply at their nearest Saudi embassy or consulate.
The move to relax tourism rules comes as the country has been on a diplomatic offensive to counter criticism of its human rights record. The kingdom has imprisoned and tortured women’s rights activists, carries out regular public executions, and was responsible for the murder of the Washington Post columnist Jamal Kashoggi. As part of the drive to attract foreign visitors, the kingdom is easing its strict dress codes for tourist women, requiring shoulders and knees to be covered in public but not demanding they wear the full-body abaya.
Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia
Middle East and North AfricaMiddle East and North Africa
GenderGender
Mohammed bin Salman
Jamal Khashoggi
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