DUBAI : The widely-discussed GCC unified tourist visa will be launched by the end of the year, top officials speaking at the Arabian Travel Market said.
The Schengen-style visa named as ‘GCC Grand Tours’ will allow travellers to visit Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait and spend more than 30 days in the region. “In a significant move aimed at simplifying travel logistics and fostering tourism, the Gulf Cooperation Council has given the green light to a unified tourist visa that will allow travellers to visit all six countries,” said UAE Minister of Economy Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri.
Meanwhile, Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, chairman of Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Authority (SCTDA), said the new visa system is expected to be ready this year. “By the end of this year, the whole system will be in place. Many people are working on it tirelessly to make it happen in the best possible way,“ he noted.
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The GCC Unified Tourist Visa was cited as a key growth driver for the region’s travel sector. Panellists taking part at the ATM said that the planned unified visa would allow member nations to present the GCC as a connected destination, boosting accessibility and driving KPIs such as length of stay, average spend and employment.
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