The Tourist Hospitality Facility in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a place that provides accommodation services to tourists for a fee. It operates either permanently or temporarily in the Kingdom. These facilities operate under the regulation and supervision of the Ministry of Tourism, which issues licenses to establishments and workers in the tourism sector after they meet a number of requirements and standards for classifying tourist hospitality facilities. Additionally, the ministry monitors these facilities to ensure compliance with licensing and classification requirements.
List of tourist hospitality facilities in the Kingdom
The regulations for tourist hospitality facilities were issued by ministerial decision on December 13, 2022. The regulations govern the operation of tourist hospitality facilities, outlining the procedures for obtaining the necessary license, the conditions and controls for operating such facilities, and the ongoing obligations of the licensee.
According to the regulations, it is prohibited to operate a tourist hospitality facility without obtaining a license, after its expiration or cancellation, or during its suspension. The license is valid for three years and is renewable. The license must include the licensee's information, the type of tourist hospitality facility, and its issuance and expiration dates. Several conditions must be met to apply for a license, primarily having a valid commercial registration that includes the operation of a tourist hospitality facility and the right to use a trademark if applicable. The regulations also require the applicant to be directly connected to the National Tourism Monitoring Platform and to meet the minimum classification standards, whether the facility is rated by stars, grades, or other non-classified types.
The regulations grant the licensee a period of 180 days from the issuance of the license to apply for a classification certificate for the tourist hospitality facility. The classification certificate must include the name of the tourist hospitality facility, its type, category or grade, and its issuance and expiration dates. The validity period of the classification certificate must not exceed the validity period of the license upon which it was issued.
For the renewal of the classification certificate, the regulations indicate that an application must be submitted to the Ministry of Tourism sixty days before its expiration, ensuring that the renewal requirements are met. Accordingly, the ministry issues the renewed classification certificate with the same category or grade as the expired certificate. The renewal is effective from the expiration date of the previous certificate and does not exceed the validity period of the license issued based on it. Additionally, the regulations stipulate that the ministry may grant the licensee a grace period of up to sixty days from the expiration date of the classification certificate to complete the renewal procedures. This grace period is counted within the validity period of the renewed classification certificate.
The National Tourism Monitoring Platform
The Ministry of Tourism has developed monitoring mechanisms using modern technologies to ensure the quality of services provided and the smooth handling and interaction of facility operators with guest complaints and feedback. The ministry has launched an electronic platform named the "National Tourism Monitoring Platform" to monitor the performance of hospitality establishments and tourism activities, and to serve as a center for statistics and data related to the tourism sector.
The platform was established to meet global standards, developed after a meticulous observation of international practices in tourism data monitoring. The launch of the platform aims to streamline the connection between hospitality facilities and the Ministry of Tourism, enhance all types of services provided by hospitality facilities, and stimulate local and international investments by providing accurate and real-time data on tourism activities in the Kingdom. Additionally, it aims to create a unified electronic platform to monitor tourism activities through hospitality facilities, offer quick and easy access to information and statistics, and ensure high accuracy and quality of data and statistics related to hospitality facilities.
Types of tourist hospitality facility in the Kingdom
Tourism hospitality facilities in the Kingdom are categorized into six types: hotels, serviced apartments, camps, cabin hotels, lodges, and holiday homes. The hotels themselves are divided into five types: heritage hotels, resorts, wellness hotels, boutique hotels, and hotel villas. These facilities are classified based on their adherence to the classification standards and mandatory requirements set by the Ministry of Tourism.
- Hotels are establishments that provide comprehensive hospitality services, renting out their units on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Their classification is based on a star rating system, which is a global standard, calculated by the application of criteria and the minimum mandatory requirements for each star category. Hotels are divided into five specialized types, each with specific requirements for classification. The classification of heritage hotels, which are located within palaces, castles, forts, or buildings constructed before 1950, requires meeting the star hotel classification standards and obtaining thirty-five points from the classification requirements.
- Resorts are hotels that offer a comprehensive range of facilities, services, and amenities for guests, often located near natural attractions such as island and beach resorts on the western and eastern coasts of the Kingdom, as well as heritage sites like al-Ula resorts. These establishments provide outdoor entertainment and leisure facilities. For their classification, in addition to meeting the star hotel standards, they must obtain a minimum of twenty points from the classification requirements.
- Wellness hotels focus on luxury, offering health and fitness services to help guests change their daily lifestyle. They provide consultations from qualified and trained staff. To be classified as wellness hotels and resorts, they must obtain 170 points from the classification standards.
- Boutique hotels are small-sized buildings with uniquely designed rooms. A boutique hotel must achieve a minimum of a three-star rating, meet the mandatory standards, and obtain 125 points from the classification requirements.
- Hotel villas are a collection of villas managed under a unified administration or in conjunction with a hotel for services and management. To be classified, they must meet the standards of a four-star category or higher and obtain seventy points from the classification requirements.
- Serviced apartment units are rented daily, weekly, or monthly and offer basic services for guests. The unit includes a bedroom, bathroom, living room, and fully equipped kitchen. It is usually targeted at families and long-term residents. They are classified according to the following service categories: economic, first class, and deluxe.
- Camps are units typically located outside or on the outskirts of cities, and are non-permanent, such as winter season camps in central and northern regions of the Kingdom, and summer season camps in southern regions. These camps offer hospitality services and are classified based on their services into economic, first-class, and luxury.
- Cabin hotels are small-sized units that provide basic equipment and shared services. Each cabin is separated from the other by a barrier.
- Motels are low-cost units providing basic services and shared facilities among guests, targeting youth, backpackers, and solo travelers. They are typically located on roads connecting different provinces of the Kingdom, or on the outskirts of cities and villages. These units are licensed based on meeting mandatory and general requirements.
- Holiday homes (chalets) are a collection of units within a specific area with a main entrance, operated by a single management, and rented on a daily basis. They are classified according to rating categories into economic and luxury.
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