Saudi Arabia Unveils Alcohol Sales at 600+ Sites Nationwide to Woo Tourists

Saudi Arabia is expected to supposedly revoke its prohibition on alcohol At 600 locations next year as the nation seeks to attract more visitors before the FIFA World Cup 2034.

In an unexpected reversal, this highly conservative country has decided to permit the sale of wine, beer, and cider at authorized locations such as upscale hotels, five-star resorts, and tourism projects.

However, alcohol will still be prohibited in public areas, private residences, stores, and fan zones, with hard liquor being completely removed from the options under the kingdom's stringent regulations.

These plans are part of the Gulf nation’s Vision 2030, which aims to draw visitors and investments ahead of significant global happenings such as the FIFA World Cup and Expo 2030.

Officials hope controlled alcohol sales in glamorous areas like Neom, Sindalah Island and the Red Sea Project will help the country compete with Gulf rivals such as the UAE and Bahrain where boozing is already legal in tourist zones.

As per the new alcohol regulations, the venues permitted to sell alcohol will be operated by trained staff under tight licensing conditions.

Beverages and spirits containing over 20 percent alcohol will continue to be prohibited.

As stated by officials, the aim is to embrace international visitors while maintaining our cultural heritage—aiming to position Saudi Arabia as a forward-thinking but reverent participant on the worldwide tourism stage.

The plan is set to roll out in 2026 - eight years before the World Cup kicks off - and comes amid growing pressure to modernise the Kingdom's image.

The government added in a statement: 'Sales will only happen under controlled environments, with licensed service staff and clear operational rules in place to make sure alcohol is handled responsibly and respectfully.'

Several global hotel chains are already tweaking their blueprints to accommodate booze zones, with tourism bosses eyeing a flood of new jobs and international investment.

This follows Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the UK stating earlier that alcohol will be prohibited during their hosting of the World Cup in 2034, which enraged many English supporters.

Prince Khalid bin Bandar Al Saud informed LBC radio in February: "Alcohol is completely absent here, similar to our climate, it's a dry nation."

Each person has their own culture. We’re pleased to welcome individuals while staying true to our cultural bounds, yet we aren’t willing to alter our culture for anyone else’s sake.

It isn’t just a Saudi occasion; it’s a global one, and predominantly, we’ll be delighted to host anyone wishing to attend.

This dismissed ideas that Saudi Arabia might emulate Qatar, another Islamic nation, during their hosting of the soccer event in 2022.

Fans had the opportunity to purchase alcoholic beverages from certain hotels, though not within the stadium premises.

But now, Saudi insiders hope the new booze policy will silence critics and show the country is ready to party, with limits.

Sources say the model is inspired by successful alcohol rollouts in Dubai and Manama, where tight control has boosted tourism and business without trashing tradition.

The Kingdom insists this will not be a free-for-all - and anyone caught misusing the system will face swift consequences.

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