Article 10 of the Saudi Tourism Law
المادة 10 من نظام السياحة
The Ministry may take precautionary measures, including closing a tourism facility, if it poses an imminent danger to public health or safety, with a hospitality facility evacuated and alternative housing provided for guests.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
في الحالات التي يظهر للوزارة فيها -بعد التنسيق مع الجهات المختصة- أن المرفق السياحي يشكّل خطراً محدقاً على الصحة أو السلامة العامة، فلها اتخاذ الإجراءات والتدابير الاحترازية اللازمة، ومن ذلك إغلاق المرفق السياحي. وإذا كان ذلك المرفق السياحي مرفق ضيافة، فيخلى فوراً ويوفر سكن بديل لجميع النزلاء المقيمين فيه بصورةٍ نظامية، وتحدد اللائحة الضوابط اللازمة لذلك.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 10 explained in plain English
This article gives the Ministry of Tourism the power to intervene quickly to protect people from a serious danger in a tourism facility, meaning the licensed property, building or place in which the tourism activity is practiced.
Conditions for intervention:
- It must appear to the Ministry that the facility poses an imminent danger to public health or safety.
- This must be after coordination with the competent bodies.
What the Ministry may do: take the necessary precautionary measures, including closing the tourism facility.
Protecting guests: if the facility is a hospitality facility providing overnight accommodation to tourists, it must be:
- Evacuated immediately.
- Alternative housing provided for all guests staying in it lawfully.
The Regulations set the necessary controls for this, such as how alternative housing is provided. The text does not expressly say who bears the cost of the alternative housing, so the Regulations should be consulted.
Note that the text describes closure here as one of the precautionary measures to deal with the danger. Anyone harmed by the closure of their facility can consult a lawyer who specializes in administrative cases.
Practical example
After coordinating with the Civil Defense, the Ministry finds that a hotel in Taif has an electrical fault that threatens an imminent fire. The Ministry may close the hotel as a precaution, and it must be evacuated immediately and alternative housing provided for all guests staying in it lawfully, under the controls set by the Regulations.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 10 of the Saudi Tourism Law
When may the Ministry of Tourism close a hotel?
When it appears to the Ministry, after coordination with the competent bodies, that the tourism facility poses an imminent danger to public health or safety.
What happens to guests if the hotel is closed?
The hospitality facility is evacuated immediately and alternative housing is provided for all guests staying in it lawfully, with the necessary controls set by the Regulations.
Is the closure here a penalty?
The article describes it as one of the precautionary measures to deal with the danger to public health or safety.
More articles on Closing Tourism Facilities and Inspection
- Article 13
Inspectors designated by the Minister detect and investigate violations of the Tourism Law, with powers to review records and question staff and refer violations to the Article 15 committee, and obstructing them is prohibited.
1- يتولى مفتشون -يصدر بتحديدهم قرار من الوزير- ضبط مخالفات أحكام النظام واللائحة، والتحقيق فيها، والتحقق من استيفاء شروط وضوابط الأنشطة السياحية، ولهم -في سبيل
- Article 14
The Ministry of Tourism may, when needed, use specialized technical companies or bodies for some of its tasks under controls set by the Regulations, without prejudice to its core tasks.
يجوز الاستعانة -عند الحاجة- بشركات أو جهات فنية متخصصة؛ للقيام ببعض المهمات الموكولة إلى الوزارة بموجب النظام، وفق ضوابط تحددها اللائحة، وذلك دون إخلال بالمهمات
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.