Riyadh | BETH

Amid the impact of regional tensions on travel flows, a growing number of citizens and residents in Saudi Arabia are choosing to spend the Eid Al-Fitr holiday داخل the Kingdom, boosting demand for the local hospitality sector.

Hotels in Riyadh, Jeddah, and the Red Sea region are preparing for higher occupancy rates, after five-star hotels in Riyadh recorded occupancy levels of around 97% during the recent school holidays — a strong indicator that similar levels may be reached during the upcoming Eid season.

Accelerating Digital Transformation

This shift coincides with a rapid technological transformation in the hospitality sector, driven by Saudi Vision 2030, as hotels expand their adoption of:

Mobile check-in services

Smart in-room control systems

Connected building management solutions

This is aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and delivering a smoother guest experience.

Major projects such as the Red Sea destination also stand out as advanced models of integrating technology into the guest experience, while the Kingdom plans to add more than 315,000 new hotel rooms by 2030 as part of its efforts to expand tourism and hospitality capacity.

The Other Side: Silent Risks

Despite this technological leap, growing security challenges are emerging, particularly during peak occupancy periods.

Smart hotels rely on thousands of connected devices, including:

Smart locks

Sensors

Cameras

In-room control systems

However, many of these devices still operate with default settings or outdated software, increasing the risk of:

Service disruptions

Unauthorized access

Leakage of operational data

Security Perspective

These challenges align with the direction set by Saudi Arabia’s National Cybersecurity Authority, which calls for strengthening the protection of connected systems, especially with the expanding use of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies in critical sectors.

Osama Al-Zoubi, Vice President for the Middle East and Africa at Phosphorus Cybersecurity, stated:

“One of the key challenges is the assumption that traditional IT security tools can protect IoT devices. Most of these devices do not have full operating systems or advanced computing capabilities, making it impossible to apply the same protection tools.”

He added:

“With the widespread adoption of smart locks, sensors, and room control systems in hotels, having full visibility of connected devices and managing them properly becomes essential — especially during peak seasons such as Eid Al-Fitr.”

BETH Conclusion

With the continued growth of domestic tourism and the opening of hyper-connected resorts across the Kingdom, the key question is no longer:

Do connected devices pose a risk?

But rather:

How quickly can this risk be assessed and managed before it impacts service continuity and guest experience?

As Eid approaches, this period represents a critical opportunity for hotel operators to review system configurations, address known vulnerabilities, and ensure the readiness of IoT environments to handle peak demand.