Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Tourism is moving to mandate minimum staffing levels for tourist hospitality facilities based on room count and star classification, according to a report by the Saudi Gazette.

The draft scheme, titled "minimum staffing requirements for tourist hospitality facilities," was released for public consultation this week. The ministry said the aim is to ensure adequate workforce capacity, improve service quality, and boost operational efficiency amid rapid growth in the Kingdom's tourism sector, Saudi Gazette reported.

Under the proposed ratios, five-star hotels, hotel villas, hotel apartments, and resorts classified as luxury would require three employees per room. Standard five-star establishments would need four employees per five rooms, four-star properties three per five rooms, three-star properties two per five rooms, and two-star properties one per five rooms. One-star and unclassified facilities would require one employee per ten rooms.

Separate ratios apply to other accommodation types: one employee per ten rooms for hostels, three per five rooms for heritage hotels, one per five rooms for first-class serviced apartments, and one per eight rooms for economy-class apartments. The same ratios would apply to first-class and economy-class holiday homes.

Facilities would be required to maintain the minimum year-round staffing level. Establishments already licensed before the regulations take effect would be given a grace period of up to 180 days to comply, while facilities upgrading to a higher classification would have up to 90 days to meet the new requirement, according to the report.

The Ministry of Tourism plans to verify employee numbers using data from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, counting staff registered directly with an establishment or through operating companies on the "Ajeer" platform. Establishments would be required to update their employee records within three months of any change.

Compliance monitoring and penalties for violations are set to begin on January 1, 2027, with breaches to be handled under the Tourism Law and its executive regulations.

The proposal comes as Saudi Arabia's tourism sector posts strong growth. The number of domestic and international tourists is projected to reach approximately 123 million in 2025, an increase of nearly 6 percent from 2024, while total tourism spending is expected to hit a record SR304 billion ($81 billion), according to the Ministry of Tourism's annual statistical report cited by Saudi Gazette.