Saudi Gazette report
RIYADH — The Ministry of Tourism has raised fines for operating hospitality facilities without a valid license to SR250,000 in major cities and key tourism destinations, up from the previous penalty amounting to SR50,000, according to the updated regulations that took effect Wednesday.

The new penalties apply to first-tier cities, including Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh, Jeddah, and Alkhobar, as well as major giga-project destinations such as NEOM, The Red Sea, Diriyah, Amaala, and Qiddiya. Facilities operating without a valid license in these areas will also face permanent closure until the violation is corrected.

In second-tier cities — Taif, Dammam, Abha, Jazan, Tabuk, Hail, Buraidah, Khamis Mushait, Jubail, Najran, Yanbu, Hafar Al-Batin, Al-Baha, Al-Hofuf, and Sakaka — fines have been raised to SR150,000 from SR50,000.

The penalty for allowing others to use a tourism license has also been increased to SR60,000 for first-tier facilities and SR55,000 for second-tier facilities, compared with SR50,000 previously.

New penalties and language rules
Fines for obstructing tourism inspectors have doubled to SR10,000 for first-tier facilities and SR7,000 for second-tier facilities.
A new regulation mandates bilingual communication (Arabic and English) when responding to tourists via phone or email. Facilities have seven days to rectify violations before a fine is issued — SR6,000 for five-star and luxury hotels, SR5,000 for four-star hotels, and SR2,000 for lower-rated serviced apartments.
Violations with penalties below SR10,000 can be issued immediately by authorized inspectors.

Graduated penalties and major offenses
The updated regulations classify offenses based on severity. Major violations include operating without a license, continuing activity after license suspension or expiry, actions harming public safety or the Kingdom’s tourism reputation, and obstructing inspectors.
Penalties are determined by facility size, location, and the severity of the violation. Minor violations will first receive a warning and a grace period to correct the issue before financial penalties are applied. However, repeated offenses within a year will result in doubled penalties and possible suspension or license cancellation after multiple violations.

Three tourism zones

The new framework divides Saudi Arabia into three zones:

Tier 1: Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh, Jeddah, Alkhobar, and giga-project destinations (NEOM, The Red Sea, Diriyah, Amaala, Qiddiya).

Tier 2: Taif, Dammam, Abha, Jazan, Tabuk, Hail, Buraidah, Khamis Mushait, Jubail, Najran, Yanbu, Hafar Al-Batin, Al-Baha, Al-Hofuf, and Sakaka.

Tier 3: All other cities and governorates.

The Ministry emphasized that the new measures aimed to ensure high-quality services, enhance compliance across the hospitality sector, and protect the Kingdom’s tourism reputation.