Saudi authorities aim to avoid hotel price shocks

The tourism authority in Saudi Arabia has rolled out a campaign to encourage domestic tourists to book their trips early – especially to avoid paying exorbitant hotel rates at the last minute.

According to the Saudi Commission for Tourism & Antiquities (SCTA), the campaign is aimed at limiting the “inappropriate habit” of a large number of domestic tourists who are used to seeking accommodation only after they have arrived at their destination.

The 'early planning and reservation' campaign is looking to avoid situations where the tourist is “shocked by the higher level of rates” for both hotels and furnished apartments.

“Early planning and reservation saves the tourist’s time and money, and remarkably leads to reduce[d] prices of accommodation facilities,” said the SCTA).

“In addition, it leads to multiplicity of choices, allowing wider options, helping tourists to be informed of different levels of ongoing prices.”

The website of Saudi Tourism (www.sauditourism.com.sa), which is under the supervision of SCTA, provides detailed information on hotels and furnished apartments in different parts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as updated lists of tour operators and licensed tourist guides across the provinces and means of contacting them.

It also allows visitors to review the most prominent tourism and historical sites that have been developed by SCTA in collaboration with its partners.

“His Royal Highness Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz, president of SCTA, had reaffirmed that time and again that early planning for domestic tourism trips contributes to limiting the rise of prices and resulting in the success of the integrated tourism experience,” the authority said.

This latest campaign comes on the back of other efforts to keep the rates guests are paying in check. This has included inspections and monitoring visits to accommodation facilities across the country to assess their commitment to SCTA’s approved price list

Citizens and visitors to the country can report violations of prices through the Tourism Communication Center via a toll-free number or by submitting a complaint to the nearest SCTA’s branch if they notice prices above the limit or if the approved price list is not in a visible place in reception.