- Saudi Arabia has proposed mandatory staffing ratios for all hotel categories.
- Luxury resorts require three employees per room, while one-star hotels need one worker per 10 rooms.
- The regulations will be enacted on 1 January 2027 if approved.
- Hotels have 90 to 180 days to comply depending on their licensing status.
- The tourism sector contributed 4.9pc of Saudi GDP in 2025.
Saudi Arabia has outlined proposed mandatory staffing requirements for all categories of tourist hospitality facilities as part of its Vision 2030 tourism plan. The Ministry of Tourism laid out guidelines in a paper titled “Minimum staffing requirements for tourist hospitality facilities,” with luxury hotels and resorts needing three employees per one room. Five-star hotels will need four workers for every five rooms; heritage hotels will need three employees for every five rooms; four-star hotels will need three staff for every five rooms; three-star hotels will need two workers for every five rooms; two-star hotels will need one employee for every five rooms; and one-star hotels will need one worker for every 10 rooms.
The Saudi government’s proposals have been put out to public consultation, with a decision to be made by the end of this year and enacted on 1 January 2027. Hotels that have obtained a licence before the regulations were announced will have 180 days to comply, while hotels moving to a higher segment will have only 90 days. Saudi authorities will ensure compliance on and after the first day of next year, at which time penalties can be imposed.
Industry analysts have noted that the UAE does not have specific numbers of required staff per class of hotels, while Saudi Arabia’s standards are sensible ones that will further develop and reinforce quality of service. The country saw 123m inbound and domestic tourists in 2025, approximately a 6pc year-over-year increase, with tourism spend reaching 304bn Saudi riyals ($80bn), a record 7pc year-over-year increase. The sector contributed 4.9pc of the country’s gross domestic product, and women now comprise 47pc of Saudi Arabia’s tourism workforce.
