Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, working with the Ministry of Tourism, has issued a new decision that affects private tourism and hotel businesses.
The new rule means that certain jobs in hotels and travel companies must be filled by Saudi citizens. This policy is part of the country’s ongoing “Saudisation” programme, which aims to increase job opportunities for Saudi nationals in the private sector.
The new rules will be introduced gradually:
First stage: 22 April 2026
Second stage: 3 January 2027
Third stage: 2 January 2028
Businesses will need to meet specific targets for hiring Saudi nationals in the listed roles by these deadlines.
The Ministry has published a detailed guide explaining:
This guide is meant to help private businesses understand what they must do.
The policy focuses on important hotel and tourism roles, including both managers and customer-facing staff.
Some of the key positions include:
Hotel manager
Hotel operations manager
Travel agency manager
Planning and development manager
Tourism development specialists
Tourism guides
Procurement and sales specialists
Hotel receptionists
These roles are considered essential to running hotels and tourism businesses.
The decision supports the country’s long-term development plan, Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to grow the economy and create more career opportunities for Saudi citizens — especially as the tourism industry expands.
Saudi Arabia has been investing heavily in tourism, building new hotels, resorts, and attractions. As the sector grows, the government wants more Saudi nationals to work in leadership and specialist positions.
Hotels and travel companies operating in Saudi Arabia will need to:
Review their current workforce
Adjust hiring plans
Invest in training Saudi employees
Make sure they meet the required hiring percentages
Human resources teams will need to carefully follow the government’s guidance to avoid penalties.
Experts say this move is part of a broader effort to:
Strengthen the Saudi workforce
Create long-term career paths in hospitality
Support the country’s growing tourism economy
As tourism becomes a bigger part of Saudi Arabia’s economy, the government wants Saudi citizens to play a larger role in managing and running the industry.