Alcohol Ban Is Not Lifted To Promote Tourism In Saudi Arabia

Despite opening up to the world and promoting its tourism industry, Saudi Arabia does not plan to lift the ban on serving alcohol, according to an official.

In an interview with Arab News, Saudi Assistant Minister of Tourism Princess Haifa Bint Mohammad said Saudi Arabia, birthplace of Islam, wouldn't consider changing its prohibition on alcohol, stating that Saudi Arabia has drawn tourists from all over the world due to the restriction.

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia's official said, "We were very clear on where we stand on everything."

Princess Haifa made the statement during a panel discussion regarding reports suggesting alcohol would be served at NEOM, a futuristic mega-project in Saudi Arabia, according to the Okaz newspaper.

Our current tourism offering has been outperforming what is available globally, said Princess Haifa.

She added, "There are a lot of things to cover without having to introduce any new content.".

We did so well during the pandemic and recovered due to the government prioritizing the travel and tourism industry, Princess Haifa said as she spoke at the panel titled Saudi Arabia Outlook.

The WEF Travel and Tourism Development Index released earlier this week shows Saudi Arabia has increased by 10 points compared to pre-pandemic levels.

In terms of development, sustainability, and resiliency, the kingdom ranked 34th out of more than 100 countries.

In an effort to diversify its oil-dependent economy, Saudi Arabia launched a new tourist visa program in 2019, aimed at attracting foreigners to the kingdom.

Tourist visas can be obtained online or at the airport upon arrival in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 aims to diversify its economy through the implementation of this system.

As a pre-coronavirus goal, Saudi Arabia aimed to attract 100 million tourists by 2030.

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