Tribesmen from the eastern province of Marib kidnapped on Sunday a Norwegian citizen, called Jert, from a main street in the Yemeni capital of Sana'a.
The kidnappers belong to the "Hariq Akdam" tribe and the incident took place in Al-Mosbahi roundabout downtown Sana'a nearby the presidential palace, local sources told Yemen Post.
The U.N office in Yemen currently makes some calls with the kidnappers and negotiations.
The tribesmen said they would only release the tourist if the government releases their fellow tribal prisoner at an intelligence prison.
Yemen has become known for kidnapping incidents, making many tourists avert visiting such dangerous and insecure country.