JEDDAH: The Saudi Council for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTNH) has prepared a draft memorandum to discuss the possibility of granting official licenses for women to work as tour guides, rather than as volunteer tour advisers, as is currently the case.
The draft contains specific conditions in line with Islamic and cultural traditions, including requiring women to accompany a group of families.
The SCTNH had previously studied the issue but did not take an official decision to grant tour guide licenses to women, but is reconsidering the possibility due to the growing opportunities and investment in the field of tourism under the National Transformation Plan.
Sources said granting the licenses would come at a time when many graduates who have specialized in tour guiding from the department of history at the Faculty of Arts at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah are looking for job opportunities and licenses to practice the profession.
“The study plan in the tour guide specialty is comprehensive, and the academic curriculum is expansive, with graduates speaking several languages and having extensive knowledge about the history of the Kingdom, thus allowing them to play a positive role in supporting the sector and reducing expenses for government authorities. But first, there must be official licenses,” said one source.
SCTNH suggests hiring female tour guides
SCTNH suggests hiring female tour guides
