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Saudi Arabia relaxes hotel rules for tourists
Saudi Arabia has announced reforms to allow foreign men and women to share hotel rooms without proving they are married.
All women, including Saudi nationals, will also be allowed to stay in hotel rooms without a male family member.
Previously couples had to prove they were married before booking or checking into a room in the country, and women were not allow to stay in rooms alone.
The reforms follow news the country wants to open up to tourism and plans to achieve 100 million visits a year by 2030.
Last week, Saudi Arabia launched a tourist visa system for 49 countries to attract holidaymakers.
The Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage said: "All Saudi national are asked to show family ID or proof of relationship on checking into hotels. This is not required of foreign tourists.
"All women, including Saudis, can book and stay in hotels alone, providing ID on check-in."
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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