Saudi Arabia is planning to open its first alcohol store in the capital, Riyadh. According to sources familiar with the development, prospective customers will have to register via a mobile app, get a clearance code from the foreign ministry, and respect monthly quotas with their purchases.
However, alcohol will be restricted to non-Muslim diplomats. The new store is located in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter, a neighbourhood where embassies and diplomats reside and will be “strictly restricted” to non-Muslims. This move is a milestone in the kingdom’s efforts to open the ultra-conservative Muslim country for tourism and business.
It is also part of a wider plan known as Vision 2030 to build a post-oil economy and post-modernization plan for Saudi Arabia.
