According to Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, the Minister of Economy for the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations would implement a joint tourist visa, similar to the Schengen visa, which will allow visa holders to travel to any nation in the group.
Although the combination visa has been approved, the launch date is not yet known, according to the details. In the event of any delays, it is expected to launch the following year and not take much longer than 2025.
According to Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, next month’s implementation procedure would be discussed by the authorities. It should be recalled that the GCC Ministers met in Muscat earlier this month and approved the single tourist visa program.
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Visitors won’t need to apply for individual visas to enter any of the six Gulf nations—the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait—after it is formally established.
It is important to notice that these nations are connected by road and air. The objective of the unified tourist visa is to make traveling to these locations more convenient.
The minister for the United Arab Emirates also unveiled an ambitious proposal for a single tourist route that would link the six nations. It is intended for foreign visitors who intend to remain longer than thirty days.
In addition, a concept to establish an Emirati tourism route connecting all seven emirates is being considered by the Emirates Tourism Council. One important element of the GCC’s 2030 policy is the single tourist visa, which is worth emphasizing.
With more people traveling between cities and staying in hotels around the GCC, there will eventually be a better Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The minister disclosed that the UAE intends to boost its tourism industry to 18% of GDP, from its current 14% share. 8.55 million Foreign visitors spent the night in Dubai, one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.
