Saudi Arabia announces reforms that will allow foreign men and women to share hotel rooms without evidence of marriage. The new reform will permit all women, including Saudi nationals, to stay in hotel rooms without a male family member.
Couples previously had to prove they were married prior to booking or checking into a room in Saudi Arabia, and women were not allow to stay in rooms alone. Reforms follow news the country has opened up to the tourism market with plans for 100 million visits from travellers per year by 2030, a move the will allow the country to be less reliant on oil for economic stability.
Saudi Arabia launched a tourist visa system last week for 49 countries to entice holidaymakers into the one closed off destination. All Saudi nationals are asked to provide family identification or evidence of relationship status upon check-in at hotels, but this new relaxation in the rules mean that this will not be required of foreign tourists.
