Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — In a landmark move aimed at further boosting the burgeoning tourism and hospitality sector, Saudi Arabia has decided to suspend the municipal service fees pertaining to issuing licenses for commercial activity of hotels, hotel apartments and residential resorts.

Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb expressed his thanks and appreciation to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman on the occasion of the issuance of the order by the highest authorities. "The approval comes within the framework of the unlimited support of the wise leadership for the tourism sector in the Kingdom, and it represents an important step within the ongoing efforts to provide an attractive investment environment for investors and enhance competitiveness in the promising sector," he said while noting that the issuance of the approval came as a culmination of the fruitful cooperation between the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing.

Al-Khateeb stressed that the decision comes within the context of the ongoing efforts to develop and facilitate the investor journey and remove the barriers and obstacles that hinder investors from benefiting from the increasing investment opportunities in the tourism sector. "This will contribute to developing the infrastructure in the tourism sector, especially with regard to hospitality facilities in tourist destinations in the Kingdom," he said.

The new government decision is the result of one of the initiatives of the Investment Enablers Program in the tourism sector launched by the Ministry of Tourism in March this year, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The program aims to facilitate investment in the sector and reduce operating costs to increase the competitiveness of the sector by applying the highest international standards to make the Kingdom a leading destination for investment in the tourism sector.