Cheers: Saudi Arabia Ending Ban On Alcohol In 2026, With Limits

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. Well, it’s finally happening, though with restrictions, as you’d expect.

Alcohol will soon be available in Saudi Arabia

As of 2026, Saudi Arabia plans to lift its 73-year ban on alcohol. As you’d probably expect, this development is coming with some restrictions:

• Permissible alcohol will be limited to beer, wine, and cider, so hard liquor won’t be allowed
• Alcohol sales will be limited to roughly 600 places across the country, including select luxury hotels, resorts, and areas developed for tourists, like Sindalah Island and the Red Sea Project
• Only licensed venues and trained staff will be able to serve alcohol, and the sale of alcohol will follow strict procedures
• Alcohol will not be allowed in homes, public places, and shops, and personal alcohol production will continue to be banned

This easing of alcohol restrictions is part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan, as the country invests a seemingly infinite amount of money in boosting its tourism sector. It also comes ahead of major upcoming international events, including Expo 2030 and FIFA World Cup 2034.

It’s not clear to me if alcohol will also be allowed on airlines from Saudi Arabia, as I haven’t seen that announced one way or another. With the upcoming launch of Riyadh Air, the timing is certainly right.

My take on Saudi Arabia allowing alcohol

Ever since Saudi Arabia announced its lofty tourism ambitions, I’ve been curious to see how long it would take for the country to lift its ban on alcohol. To me, it was a question of “when,” and not “if,” and one of the major tests of seeing how serious Saudi Arabia is about its ambitions.

Look, people can debate all day long whether society is too dependent on alcohol, etc., but the point is that if you’re looking to attract visitors from around the globe as a leisure destination, alcohol in at least some venues is an expectation.

I’m not surprised to see the way that Saudi Arabia is going about it, with significant restrictions, including still banning liquor. If anything, I’m a bit surprised by the extent to which the country is ripping off the band-aid. I was expecting that we’d maybe see some very small step first. For example, in 2022, there were reports that Saudi Arabia might start selling alcohol in duty free shops, which would’ve been a small but significant first step.

But no, Saudi Arabia is going straight for selling alcohol across hundreds of tourist destinations. While there are lots of questions as to how realistic Saudi Arabia’s tourism goals are, this is at least a step in the right direction, in my opinion.

Bottom line

In 2026, Saudi Arabia will lift its ban on alcohol. Initially, we’ll see beer, wine, and cider allowed, specifically at roughly 600 tourism spots around the country. With Saudi Arabia being serious about building its tourism industry, it was only a matter of time before this happened.

What do you make of Saudi Arabia ending its ban on alcohol?