GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) is set to roll out a unified tourist visa system called ‘GCC Grand Tours’ by the end of 2024, allowing visitors to explore Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait for over 30 days. This move is expected to improve travel logistics and boost tourism, with the system expected to drive tourism-related income, increase spending, and create job opportunities.
Known as ‘GCC Grand Tours,’ this Schengen-style unified visa system will permit visitors to explore Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait for over 30 days within the region. This move is expected to improve ease and draw a larger number of tourists interested in exploring multiple places within the area.
Top GCC government officials at the Arabian Travel Market 2024 have stated that the much-discussed unified tourist ticket will be rolled out by the end of the year. Named ‘GCC Grand Tours,’ this Schengen-style visa will permit visitors to explore Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait for over 30 days within the region.
This move is expected to improve ease and draw a larger number of tourists interested in exploring multiple places within the area.
UAE Minister of Economy Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri hailed the move as a major step toward easing travel arrangements and boosting tourism. He stated, “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 travelers to visit all six countries.”
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Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Authority (SCTDA), added that the new visa system is expected to be operating by the end of the year.
By the end of this year, the whole system will be in place. Many people are working on it hard to make it happen in the best possible way,
Khalid Jasim Al Midfa
The Unified Tourist Visa has been named as a key cause for growth in the region’s travel industry. Panelists at the ATM noted that the uniform visa would place the GCC as a linked location, improving accessibility and driving key performance measures such as length of stay, average spending, and job possibilities.
Travelers having the GCC Grand Tours visa are expected to be allowed to stay in the region for more than 30 days, allowing for extensive travel and vacation experiences across multiple countries.
The unified tourist visa is also expected to have a good economic effect on the Gulf area by driving tourism-related income, encouraging longer stays, increasing tourist spending, and creating job chances within the tourism industry.
