Foreign, unmarried couples can now rent hotel rooms in Saudi Arabia
Women will also be allowed to rent rooms alone.
By SYDNEY DENNENSAUDI ARABIA Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman(photo credit: REUTERS)
Unwed foreign couples will be allowed to rent hotel rooms together in Saudi Arabia for the first time. The change comes as part of a new set of visa regulations, made in hopes of increasing tourism in the country. Before the change, couples had to show proof that they were married before they were allowed to get a room together. The new changes also will allow single women to rent hotel rooms alone."All Saudi nationals are asked to show family ID or proof of relationship on checking into hotels," the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage said in a statement. "This is not required of foreign tourists. All women, including Saudis, can book and stay in hotels alone, providing ID on check-in."Along with being able to rent hotel rooms, women are also not required to cover up completely but are asked to dress modestly.The changes come as Saudi Arabia is trying to soften its image throughout the world. The country used to have some of the most unaccommodating laws for tourists and foreign citizens in the world. For example, the sale of alcohol is still banned throughout the country. Recently, the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has made changes to the ultra-conservative government, including ending a ban on women drivers and allowing women to travel abroad without permission from a male guardian.
