GCC Tourist Visa Approved and Set to Launch Soon
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has officially approved a unified tourist visa, with plans to roll it out shortly, according to Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, the UAE’s Minister of Economy.
This new visa will allow foreign tourists to visit all six GCC member states—UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait—on a single visa, similar to the Schengen tourist visa.
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The initiative aims to enhance regional tourism and is expected to significantly boost “bleisure” travel, where business and leisure trips are combined.
Industry experts anticipate that this unified visa will stimulate job creation and contribute positively to the region’s GDP.
In 2023, the GCC welcomed 68.1 million visitors, generating a record $110.4 billion in tourism revenue, marking a remarkable increase compared to pre-pandemic levels.
This growth trend is set to continue, with projections indicating that the UAE’s travel and tourism sector could see employment figures rise to one million by 2030.
The rollout of the GCC tourist visa is a significant step towards bolstering the region’s tourism industry and enhancing connectivity among member states.
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Khaleej Times
