Saudi Arabia

Despite playing host to a plethora of natural and cultural attractions, the Kingdom’s tourism sector remains relatively under-developed and is largely limited to the religious pilgrim market centred on Makkah and Medina. The legacy of this under-development is particularly felt in the regulation of the sector. The Kingdom’s regulatory body,...

With millions of Muslims arriving every year to visit the Holy Cities of Makkah and Medina, Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector is characterised to a large degree by religious pilgrimage. However, while significant investments continue to be made to meet growing demand from this segment, the Kingdom’s tourism authorities are also hard at work...

Until recently, Saudi administration relied on the selfassessment of taxpayers. Very few tools and mechanisms were employed by the Department of Zakat and Income Tax (DZIT) to enforce compliance. While certificates for tax and zakat(Islamic alms) were key, they were the only effective instruments that forced firms to follow regulations...

Saudi Arabia takes third place in the global list of countries ranked by ease of paying taxes, a remarkable achievement for a G-20 country with a GDP of over $700bn. Yet with the necessary due care and commitment to compliance, businesses can enjoy the advantages of the system.

The growth of the Saudi economy over the last few decades has been nothing short of staggering, and today the country is one of the top 20 economies in the world. Historically, the hydrocarbons sector has dominated the economy, though growth in other segments, including industry, manufacturing, retail, trade and construction, has created...

Parties doing business in Saudi Arabia often select binding arbitration in the Kingdom, a preferred neutral foreign jurisdiction or another GCC state as the method for dispute resolution. In 2012 an arbitration law was enacted in Saudi Arabia confirming the right of parties to agree to settle their disputes through arbitration if the dispute...