We know that Saudi Arabia is investing a lot of money to build its non-religious tourism sector. One common question we’ve seen has been if/when the country will lift its ban on alcohol. As of now, there has seemingly not been much movement when it comes to alcohol for visitors. That being said, the country has just quietly expanded alcohol sales in a pretty major way.
In 2024, we saw the introduction of an alcohol store in Riyadh, though it was initially exclusively open to foreign diplomats, with strict limits on how much they can purchase. Access to this has now been expanded to non-Muslim foreigners with “premium residency” status, which is generally given to educated foreigners who work for major corporations in the country. Having the visa requires spending at least 30 months over the past five years in the country (so at least half of your time).
Access to the store requires making reservations, and there’s a points-based system that limits how much total alcohol can be purchased.
A great solo travel tip spotted this week on One Mile at a Time.
