Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb said a unified GCC visa would be a “significant milestone” for the industry.
He said that the unification of tourist visas would greatly enhance the global appeal of Gulf countries as top tourist destinations.
Al-Khateeb commended the progress made in implementing the Gulf Tourism Strategy and emphasized the importance of efforts to activate the initiatives and programs within the strategy.
The Kingdom in particular saw a 156% increase in tourist arrivals in 2023 compared to 2019, surpassing both regional and global recovery rates.
According to the minister, $800 billion would be invested by the Kingdom in cities and tourist destinations over the next decade as part of its Vision 2030 goals. Saudi Arabia plans to welcome 27 million international visitors by 2030, tripling the tourist flow.
The GCC Unified Tourist Visa will allow freedom of movement between residents in the Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait.
Plans for the new GCC Unified Tourist Visa were officially approved late in 2023 following a unanimous vote by ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council at a meeting in Oman.
