The Scoop
Saudi Arabia appears to have widened access to alcohol, allowing non-Muslims holding a special residency status to purchase alcoholic drinks from a Riyadh store previously reserved for foreign diplomats, according to people familiar with the matter.
In the past few days, Premium Residency holders have been able to buy alcohol from the Diplomatic Quarter outlet. The government has made no announcement — those who went to the store heard about the change through word of mouth, the people said. Spokespeople for the Saudi Premium Residency program and the Media Ministry didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
The move is the latest step by the Saudi government to formalize alcohol sales and consumption as the kingdom pursues a plan to make tourism a key pillar of its economic diversification.
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Saudi Arabia aims to attract 150 million tourists a year by 2030 and is investing heavily in developing hotels and entertainment attractions. But it’s still largely a dry kingdom, making it less of a draw for some tourists compared to neighboring Gulf countries.
The Riyadh liquor store opened last year and catered exclusively to foreign diplomats. The facility centralized alcohol supplies in the kingdom, which previously were getting in through diplomatic shipments.
Saudi Arabia launched the premium residency program in 2019 as a way to attract high-earning foreign workers and investors. It has widened eligibility since then, and is now open to expatriates earning more than 80,000 riyals ($21,000) a month, or those working in certain professions.
Matthew’s view
Saudi Arabia is tiptoeing toward wider alcohol access, balancing a clear ambition to shed its historically austere, conservative image while upholding traditions rooted in Islam’s prohibition on alcohol — and the kingdom’s role as custodian of the religion’s two holiest sites.
For decades, expats who lacked a connection to diplomats willing to part with some of their stash have brewed beer, wine, and spirits at home. Enforcement has been lax, as long as the homebrew didn’t spill into public trade or rowdy parties. Booze is served at the private homes of prominent Saudi families, officials, and bankers. (According to The New York Times, I wouldn’t know…)
Rumors of a broader loosening have circulated over the past five years. Many hotels and restaurants are already fitted out with bars, serving mocktails and zero-alcohol beer, for now. Businesses are ready to switch, but the government is moving cautiously.
By extending purchasing rights to a narrow group of non-Muslim expatriates, the government can paint itself as more hospitable to the foreign talent it increasingly needs for its economic transformation, while also keeping a lid on sales.
Notable
- Saudi Arabia opened up its first liquor store last year in a move officials described as countering “the illicit trade of alcohol,” BBC reported.
- Women in black veils are drinking ice-cold, alcohol-free beer at Riyadh cafes. The scene is a shift for the country, but customers told the AFP they don’t want the real stuff in the kingdom.