Saudi Arabia moves to set minimum employee requirements across hospitality sector

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism has proposed mandatory minimum staffing ratios for tourist hospitality facilities, with luxury five-star hotels, hotel villas, hotel apartments and resorts potentially required to maintain up to three employees for every room.

The proposed rules are part of the Ministry’s “Minimum Staffing Requirements for Tourist Hospitality Facilities” scheme, which was recently released for public consultation. The initiative aims to ensure adequate workforce capacity, strengthen service quality and improve operational efficiency amid the Kingdom’s rapid tourism expansion.

Under the draft requirements, luxury five-star hotels, hotel villas, hotel apartments and resorts would need three employees per room. Other five-star establishments would be required to maintain four employees for every five rooms, while the ratio would be three employees per five rooms for four-star establishments and two employees per five rooms for three-star facilities.

For two-star establishments, the proposed requirement is one employee for every five rooms, while one-star and unclassified facilities would need at least one employee for every 10 rooms.

The proposed staffing ratios also cover other categories of tourist accommodation. Hostels would require one employee per 10 rooms, while heritage hotels would need three employees per five rooms. First-class serviced apartments would require one employee per five rooms, compared with one employee per eight rooms for economy-class apartments. The same ratios would apply to first-class and economy-class holiday homes.

Under the draft framework, hospitality establishments would be required to maintain the prescribed minimum workforce throughout the year.

Facilities licensed before the regulations take effect would receive a grace period of up to 180 days to meet the requirements. Establishments upgrading to a higher classification would have up to 90 days to achieve the applicable staffing level.

The Ministry plans to verify employee numbers using data from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development. Employees registered directly under an establishment, as well as those working through affiliated operating companies via the Ajeer platform, would be counted towards the staffing requirement.

Hospitality operators would also be required to update employee information within three months of any workforce changes.

Compliance monitoring and penalties are scheduled to begin on January 1, 2027, with violations subject to the Tourism Law and its executive regulations.

The proposed staffing framework comes as Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector continues to expand rapidly. According to the Ministry of Tourism’s annual statistical report, the number of domestic and international tourists is projected to reach around 123 million in 2025, up nearly 6% from 2024, while tourism spending is expected to reach a record SR304 billion.

The proposed requirements signal a stronger regulatory focus on workforce capacity across the Kingdom’s growing hospitality sector, as Saudi Arabia expands its tourism infrastructure and works to meet rising demand for hotels, resorts, serviced apartments and other accommodation facilities.