Saudi Arabia introduces new localization policies for tourism sector
To boost jobs for citizens and improve overall service quality
Employment contracts must be registered on govt platforms
Updated 15 October 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has introduced new policies to localize the tourism sector across the Kingdom.
The new measures were approved by Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
All tourism hospitality facilities are now required to have a Saudi receptionist present during working hours.
Tourist facilities must register all employees with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development before they begin work.
Employee contracts — including contractual, seconded or seasonal —must be documented via the Ajeer platform or other approved platforms.
Establishments with multiple licensed branches must register employees specifically against the facility file linked to each tourism license.
Outsourcing or assigning positions subject to Saudization policies to entities or workers outside the Kingdom is prohibited.
Such work must be outsourced to establishments licensed by the Ministry of Tourism or licensed to assign Saudis by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.
The ministry emphasized that compliance with these policies will be strictly monitored, and warned of penalties for violators.
The Ministry of Tourism said the new regulations are a significant step in its efforts to enhance employment opportunities for citizens and improve overall service quality.
The policies have been developed in collaboration with relevant government agencies. They aim to increase the contribution of citizens to the sector and provide stimulating jobs, including leadership roles and positions for graduates, aligning with Saudi Vision 2030.
The ministry announced earlier this year that it had raised wage subsidies for local workers in the tourism sector from 30 percent to 50 percent, in a strategic push to expand employment opportunities for Saudi nationals and reduce reliance on foreign labor.
It extended financial support to 43 tourism-related professions and was designed to enhance the appeal and sustainability of careers in the sector.
Noor Riyadh announces artists for this year’s festival of light and art
This year’s curatorial theme, “In the Blink of an Eye,” reflects the rapid transformation shaping Riyadh
Updated 05 November 2025
Nada Alturki
RIYADH: The annual Noor Riyadh, the region’s largest international festival of light and art, has announced its list of participating artists, gearing up for the 2025 launch that will run from Nov. 20-Dec. 6.
The show, curated by Mami Kataoka, Li Zhenhua and Sara Almutlaq, takes place in various hubs across Riyadh and will include 60 artworks by 59 artists, representing 24 nationalities, with 35 newly commissioned pieces.
“Noor Riyadh is defined by its artists; their ideas, their courage and their vision,” said Nouf Almoneef, festival director of Noor Riyadh. “Each work captures the city’s momentum through light, reminding us that creativity is a universal language that connects cultures and inspires dialogue.”
Italian artist Michelangelo Pistoletto's "Love Difference" (2025). (Supplied)
This year’s curatorial theme, “In the Blink of an Eye,” reflects the rapid transformation shaping Riyadh.
The festival will present work responding to the theme by leading international and local artists, including Saad Al-Howede, Monira Al-Qadiri, Abdulrahman Al-Soliman, James Clar, Ivana Franke, fuse*, Ayoung Kim, Shinji Ohmaki, Michelangelo Pistoletto and Muhannad Shono.
The show will also include a special installation dedicated to the work of the late Safeya Binzagr (1940–2024), a leading figure of Saudi Arabia’s modern art movement and the first female Saudi artist to hold a solo exhibition in 1968.
Croatian artist Ivana Franke's "Center" (2024). (Supplied)
“Light is both a medium and a metaphor for transformation,” said Kataoka, the curatorial advisory lead. “‘In the Blink of an Eye’ reveals how quickly perception can shift — offering a moment to pause within the momentum of change and see beauty in what is constantly evolving.”
The 2025 festival is led by an international curatorial team that brings together distinct perspectives on contemporary culture, whose vision connects Riyadh’s historical heart to its modern skyline and metro network. The show invites audiences to encounter light as a medium for perception, memory and momentum.
The festival’s program will have Noor Riyadh unfold across six locations this year: Qasr Al-Hokm District, King Abdulaziz Historical Center, stc Metro Station, KAFD Metro Station, Al-Faisaliah Tower and JAX District.
Saudi artist Saad Al-Howede's "Memory Melting" (2025). (Supplied)
Held under the umbrella of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and Riyadh Art, Noor Riyadh echoes Riyadh Art’s mission to transform the Kingdom’s capital city by sparking creativity and enriching daily lives.
Since its inception, Riyadh Art has showcased more than 550 artworks by 500 Saudi and international artists, attracting more than 9.6 million visitors and spectators through its major programs. Noor Riyadh transforms everyday public spaces into distinctive encounters, hoping to create a sense of shared wonder across communities through art.
The full list of the festival’s 2025 participating artists includes: Addie Wagenknecht (US), Abdulrahman Al-Soliman (Saudi Arabia), Abdelrahman Elshahed (Saudi Arabia), Ahmad Angawi (Saudi Arabia), Alex Schweder (US), Alexandra Gelis (Colombia and Canada), Ayoung Kim (South Korea), atelier oi + WonderGlass (Switzerland), Christian Partos (Sweden), Christophe Berthonneau (France), dies_ (Italy), Saad Al-Howede (Saudi Arabia), Edwin van der Heide (Netherlands), Encor Studio (Switzerland), Fatma Abdulhadi (Saudi Arabia), Francesco Simeti (Italy), fuse* (Italy), Guillaume Cousin (France), Hmoud Alattawi (Saudi Arabia), Iregular (Canada), Ivana Franke (Croatia), James Clar (Philippines and US), Karolina Halatek (Poland), Khalid Zahid (Saudi Arabia), Kurt Hentschlager (Austria), Laszlo Zsolt Bordos (Hungary), Loris Cecchini (Italy), Marnix De Nijs (Netherlands), Michelangelo Pistoletto (Italy), Mohammed Farea (Saudi Arabia), Monira Al-Qadiri (Kuwait), Muhannad Shono (Saudi Arabia), n + n Corsino (France), Nebras Aljoaib (Saudi Arabia), Obaid Alsafi (Saudi Arabia), Otolab (Italy), Plastique Fantastique (Germany), Random International (UK), Rejane Cantoni (Brazil), Robert Seidel (Germany), Roman Hill (US and France), Ryoichi Kurokawa (Japan), Safeya Binzagr (Saudi Arabia), Saeed Gebaan (Saudi Arabia), Shinji Ohmaki (Japan), Shiro Takatani (Dumb Type, Japan), Shun Ito (Japan), Six N. Five (Ezequiel Pini, Argentina), someform Studio (Germany), Studio Above&Below (UK), Tonoptik (Russia), Traumnovelle (Belgium), Vali Chincisan (Romania), Wang Yuyang (China), Wu Chi-Tsung (Taiwan), Zeitguised (Germany), Zhang Zengzeng (China), Zheng Da (China) and Ziyad Alroqi (Saudi Arabia).
