Tourism Activities Inspection

The official identification card of the tourism inspector includes the following information:

a. The Ministry's logo.

b. Personal photo.

c. Name of the tourism inspector.

d. Title (Tourism Inspector).

e. Job number.

Additionally, the General Department of Information Technology Operations issues an electronic account for the tourism inspector for remote inspections.

1. The approved uniform for inspections is the official Saudi uniform, and the General Department of Control and Inspection will approve any suitable uniform as necessary, which will be provided to the tourism inspector.

2. The tourism inspector must identify themselves and present their identification card to the practitioner of the tourism activity or their employees during the inspection.

3. The requirement to present identification (as mentioned in point 2) is waived in cases of inspection to verify the existence of the license or permit, classification, and continued compliance with necessary conditions, requirements, controls, and standards as per the law and its regulations. In such cases, the tourism inspector must identify themselves and present their identification card before preparing the inspection report.

1. The approved means by the Ministry for carrying out the inspection mission include:

a. The transportation means designated by the Ministry.

b. The approved uniform.

c. Electronic devices such as tablets, laptops, and measuring equipment.

d. The paper or electronic visit report.

e. The electronic systems approved by the Ministry.

2. If a tourism inspector is unable to use any of the approved means due to circumstances beyond their control, they may use alternative means that fulfill the inspection purpose. In such cases, the General Department of Control and Inspection must be informed of the reasons.

1. Yes, the practitioner of the tourism activity or one of their employees may accompany the tourism inspector during the inspection. The tourism inspector must include the following information in the visit report:

a. The name of the companion.

b. A description of the companion.

c. The ID or residence number of the companion.

2. If the companion refuses to provide the required information mentioned in procedure No. (1), this must be noted and clarified in the visit report.

Upon completing the inspection, the tourism inspector must follow these steps:

1. Meet with the practitioner of the tourism activity or their representative.

2. Explain the observations or violations related to the purpose of the inspection.

3. Provide clarification on the procedures for approving the visit report and officially notifying the practitioner.

The tourism inspector has the authority to request the practitioner of the tourism activity or their employee to provide and verify any documents such as data, information, records, contracts, license or permit, classification certificate, applied policies, or any related evidence during the inspection visit (field or remote). The inspector may also obtain copies or photographs of these documents and request copies of telephone call recordings from the registered customer service, which must be attached to the visit report.

1. Yes, tourist comments may be collected if available, by asking the tourist about the level of services provided. This can be done through:

a. Direct questioning during the inspection.

b. The tourist’s evaluation of services through comments or notes on platforms and websites.

c. A questionnaire sent to the tourist.

2. If a tourist submits a complaint during the inspection, it is heard, and the official channels for submitting it are explained to ensure the rights of the complainant. In cases where the inspection focuses on verifying a complaint related to a violation of the law and its regulations, and investigating the violation, this is documented in the visit report with the complaint number registered with the Ministry.

1. The Ministry's logo.

2. The visit report number.

3. The date and time of the visit.

4. The purpose of the inspection.

5. The facility's information (name, activity, category or grade if applicable, address).

6. The tourism inspector’s details.

7. The result of the visit.

Any additional information deemed necessary by the General Department of Control and Inspection.

1. The tourism inspector submits the visit report to the Ministry for approval.

2. The General Department of Control and Inspection reviews the report to ensure the accuracy and integrity of its contents, ensuring no comments are present.

3. If the visit report contains any errors or comments, the General Department of Control and Inspection may:

* Assign the tourism inspector to complete the report or address any comments.

* Request a revised or additional inspection, leading to the submission of an "unapproved visit report" if necessary.

1.The General Department of Control and Inspection prepares a form of the immediate penalty decision, which includes the following basic elements:

a. The name of the violator and their basic information (ID number or commercial registration, license or permit number (if any), trademark (if any), and visit report number and date).

b. The regulatory text that was violated, a description of the violation, a summary of the relevant facts, the operative part of the decision, and its reasons.

c. The decision number, date, and the Ministry's seal.

d. Information on the violator’s right to object to the immediate penalty decision, in accordance with the relevant procedures. The General Department of Control and Inspection may include any additional elements if necessary.

2. The tourism inspector is authorized to issue the immediate penalty decision only after the visit report has been approved by the General Department of Control and Inspection.

Yes, non-immediate penalties are imposed according to the violations schedule, which specifies the ranges and levels of financial fines for violations. If a violation falls within the jurisdiction of the Violations Review Committee, the visit report is referred to the committee for further action

The means designated for receiving complaints are:

1. The Visitor Relationship Management (CRM) system of the Visitor Care Center (930).

2. The official phone number of the Ministry: (01188808855).

3. The official addresses and electronic applications of the Ministry.

4. The Ministry’s official social media accounts.

5. Official correspondence/emails sent from government entities to the Ministry.

1. The General Department of Control and Inspection notifies the practitioner of the complaint and any attached documents, if applicable.

2. The practitioner is required to respond to the complaint within 24 hours of notification. However, the General Department of Control and Inspection may set a different timeframe based on the case, ranging from a minimum of one hour to a maximum of five days.

3. The complaint shall be processed immediately upon notification, though the General Department of Control and Inspection may extend the processing period based on the specific circumstances.

If the tourism practitioner does not respond to the complaint, the General Administration of Control and Inspection will assign the tourism inspector to handle the complaint and conduct an inspection, either through a field visit or remotely.

Contact the Unified Call Center (930) and submit a request with the required documents. An inspector will be assigned within a maximum of 3 working days.

Yes. You can view any recorded violations or fines through the Ministry’s official website by logging in with your personal credentials