Riyadh Closes 10 Travel Agencies for Licensing and Hajj Violations
RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Tourism has closed 10 tourism and travel offices in Riyadh for violating the rules, as part of the ongoing “Our Guests Are a Priority” campaign, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
The campaign, which was to make travel agencies all over the Kingdom conform to licensing legislation and quality standards, resulted in enforcement action being taken against agencies discovered operating illegally.
High-level violations included booking unauthorized Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages, trading without a proper tourism license, ferrying pilgrims in unlicensed cars, and hosting worshippers in unregulated accommodation in Makkah and Madinah.
The ministry reiterated that such measures are part of broader initiatives to discipline tourismservice providers and uphold the rights of national and foreign tourists.
The authorities stated that violators would be fined up to SR50,000 ($13,300), and repeat offenders may be subject to penalties of up to SR1 million. Sanctions can also take the form of temporary suspension or permanent closure based on the gravity of the offense.
Tourism authorities called on all licensed operators to adhere to the terms of their licenses and encouraged visitors to use only registered service providers to prevent scams and experience safe, quality activities.
Members of the public can report offenses or lodge complaints through the Unified Tourism Call Center at 930.
