Saudi Arabia is progressively loosening its longstanding alcohol ban as part of a broader reform and modernisation agenda. The government has begun constructing new liquor-sale outlets in the port city of Jeddah and the eastern hub of Dammam, which will be accessible to certain non-Muslim residents.
This development follows the kingdom’s earlier move by the opening of an alcohol store in Riyadh, originally restricted to diplomats, but now reportedly accessible to non-Muslim expatriates holding Premium Residency.
Authorities frame the policy change as a step aligned with Vision 2030, a strategic effort to reduce dependence on oil, attract foreign investment, expand tourism, and reposition Saudi Arabia as a business-friendly, globally connected economy.
While alcohol remains prohibited for the majority of Saudi citizens in adherence to religious laws, these changes underscore a carefully managed relaxation of social restrictions, particularly aimed at international residents, expats, and incoming professionals. The shift signals that the kingdom is balancing tradition with pragmatism as it steps forward into a transforming economic and cultural landscape.
