RIYADH/JEDDAH, 4 March 2004 — Tension prevails in travel agencies because of an incident involving a number of Kanoo Travel employees in Riyadh. The employees were arrested by the authorities because the company had allegedly failed to meet the government’s Saudization deadline.
Arab News has learned that the arrested staff who were taken in and had their heads shaved were released on Tuesday. Many other travel agencies remain closed in fear of possible action by the government. Some travel agencies, however, reopened with a mixture of Saudi and expatriate staff.
The employees arrested in Kanoo Travel were from India, Pakistan Sudan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. “I was caught offguard when the officials raided the office and took me away, said one after 48 hours in jail. Describing his experience, he said: “I had to pay SR5 to have my head shaved completely and another SR10 for an official photograph.”
Speaking to Arab News, a Saudi lawyer said he could not believe that such a thing had happened. “Why should the authorities penalize the employees when the dispute was between the employer and the government?”
The lawyer pointed out that shaving the head should not have been done unless they had violated certain religious rules.
The Ministry of Labor had issued a directive to all travel agents that 40 percent of their staff must be Saudi. This was followed by another from the Riyadh Governorate fixing the deadline. The government had previously called on the General Organization for Technical Education and Vocational Training (GOTEVOT) to train Saudis for work in the travel industry.
The chamber of commerce and industry and some travel agents have regular training programs for their staff as well as programs for training Saudi staff. Airlines said they had not been affected by temporary closure of travel agencies because it is off-peak season.
Asked about Saudization programs in their own offices, they said their General Sales Agents (GSA) have ensured strict compliance with Saudization rules.
There are more than 2,800 travel companies and agencies in Saudi Arabia including 300 in Riyadh. In addition to Saudi Arabian Airlines, more than 25 foreign airlines operate in the Kingdom. At present travel and tourism agencies are under the jurisdiction of the Presidency of Civil Aviation.
According to a survey by the Supreme Commission for Tourism, the travel industry could generate 2.3 million jobs for Saudis over the next 20 years.
Travel agencies in Jeddah were also rattled by the raids in Riyadh.
“Uncertainty prevails among travel agency staff, most of whom are expats,” a travel agent in north Jeddah told Arab News. The agent said expatriate employees at all travel agencies are “stunned and shaken” by the way some were dealt with following the implementation of Saudization from the first of Muharram which was Feb. 21. Many travel agents said they had been implementing Saudization and “trying to meet the requirement. It’s improper to level charges against us that we have violated the Saudization law by failing to replace foreign workers with Saudis. Give us trained Saudis and we’ll employ them immediately.”
Travel agents demanded that the matter be referred to a special committee set up by Prince Sultan, second deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, to discuss the issue and find a solution. They argue that the travel and tourist industry requires highly qualified people and in the absence of trained and qualified Saudis, they have been operating with expatriates.
