RIYADH: The Kingdom’s tourism sector got a major boost with the announcement on Sunday of a plan to issue new regulations to streamline the operation of hotels and furnished apartments. The new regulations have been issued by the Supreme Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA). The body, which is empowered to cease or issue operational permits to tourist facilities and hotels, has also announced it has taken over four important archaeological sites at a cost of about SR19 million. The sites are to be restored and developed for tourism. “Payments have been made on the instructions of Prince Sultan bin Salman, SCTA’s chief,” said Ali bin Ibrahim Al-Ghabban, SCTA’s vice president.