Saudi- SCTA closes 58 unlicensed furnished apartments

(MENAFN- Arab News) A committee of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) closed six furnished apartments in Jeddah recently for not obtaining the necessary licenses from the municipality and the tourism authorities. Muhammad Al-Omari, the executive director of the SCTA branch in Makkah, told a local newspaper that the committee closed down 58 facilities in Jeddah for illegally leasing properties in the hospitality sector without obtaining licenses. He said that 30 facilities have benefited from the grace period and corrected the status of their workers. The electrical supply to 20 facilities was cut because they did not meet requirements. Another eight facilities have decided not to remain in the hospitality sector and rented out their establishments on yearly contracts. Al-Omari said that the committee includes representatives of the SCTA, Jeddah secretariat, Saudi Electricity Company, the criminal investigation unit of the police and the Civil Defense. He said the committee operates throughout the year. The field supervisors of the committee have the power to impose fines and provide a grace period for establishments to rectify their status, of up to seven months for first-time violations. Fines are doubled for repeat offenders and the grace period reduced to three months. If owners do not respond to warnings and fines, the committee has their electrical supply cut.