Saudi hotels to allow women without guardian

Riyadh: Women in Saudi Arabia no longer need a male guardian in order to stay at hotels, Saudi newspaper Okaz reported Saturday, as the kingdom is increasingly removing long-standing controls on women.

The Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage has agreed to let women stay at hotels without having a related male companion, the paper said, citing unnamed sources.

According to the new rules, women will be allowed into hotels after showing a national ID card for Saudis, residence permits for non-Saudis living in the kingdom, or a passport for foreign visitors.

Women who fail to show an identification document will not be allowed to reside at hotels unless they are escorted by a relative whose identification data will be registered, according to the report.

In recent years, Saudi Arabia has adopted a series of dramatic social and economic reforms, mainly towards women.

Last year, women in Saudi Arabia were allowed to drive cars, ending a decades-old ban.

In August, Saudi women were allowed to travel without a male guardian’s approval and to apply for a passport.

Last month, Saudi authorities unveiled a new visa system aimed at attracting foreign tourists to the country as part of an ambitious scheme to diversify its economy.