The move is part of the kingdom’s new tourist visa regime that is targeted at attracting people to tour the country.
Moreover, women, even Saudis, are now permitted to rent hotel rooms by themselves. The move will allow women to travel unaccompanied, something unthought of in the conservative kingdom.
According to reports in the kingdom’s media, the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage stated, “All Saudi nationals 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.”
Saudi Arabia’s attempts to grow its tourism sector has led to the country opening itself to tourists from 49 countries.
Last week, the kingdom had lifted abaya restrictions for foreigners, allowing them to roam without the body covering cloth during their visit to the country.
The kingdom has not always been like this. Unrelated men and women, even foreigners, could not roam together freely in public, and could be punished.
The kingdom’s aims to increase tourism in the country may be preceded by measures that go against the general religious norms, and may result in backlash from conservatives.
Last year, the kingdom finally allowed women to drive, and this August, it even gave women the right to travel abroad alone. The latter goes against the generally practiced custom of woman being accompanied by a male relative.
The changes are part of the Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman’s drive to transform the kingdom both socially and economically.