Okaz/Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — Women over 25 years of age will only be granted a tourist visa to visit the Kingdom if they are part of a tourist group, according to the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTNH).

A team of representatives from the ministries of interior and foreign affairs as well as the SCTNH was formed to draft the rules and regulations for issuing tourist visas.

The regulations state that women under 25 years of age must be accompanied by family members while women above 25 years of age must be a part of a tourist group under a certified tourism agency in order to be granted tourist visas.

Tourism agency organizing the visit must be licensed by the pertinent authority of its country.

The National Tourism Agency or the tour organizer from the Kingdom must be licensed by the SCTNH.

Visas will be issued when the dates, duration of stay and tourism program are clearly stated.

Tour organizers licensed by the SCTNH must receive tourists, supervise their stay and departure and provide at least one tour guide from the Kingdom who speaks the language of the tourists.

Tourists are urged to respect the local laws, customs and traditions.

Tour organizers should inform tourists of Saudi laws and traditions before their departure for the Kingdom.

If a tourist goes missing for more than 24 hours, the tour guide must file a missing person’s report.

If a tourism agency cancels a tour or leaves behind 100 or more people after visas have been issued, it will be reported to the ministries of interior and foreign affairs and it will be banned from organizing tourism packages to the Kingdom.