Expected to be launched from November, the new visa service will boost regional economies and create more job opportunities
A single tourist visa has been approved for all GCC member countries, the issuance of the visa will improve the regional economies and create more job opportunities. According to Khaleej Times, GCC countries are very close to launching a game-changing Schengen-style visa to boost tourism in the region, Heritage and Tourism Minister Salim said in Oman during the GCC Ministerial Meeting in Muscat. Bin Muhammad Al Mahrooqi announced that the issuance of the agreed visa has been approved.
It has been reported that tourists on a single tourist visa will be allowed to enter the countries of the 6-member Gulf bloc, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait. This visa service will be started soon. Attracted visas will improve regional economies and create more job opportunities.
Omani media quoted Wazir Al Mahrooqi as saying that 'this visa scheme will be launched very soon'. No timeline was specified in this regard, but the Oman Observer reported that the new visa service would be launched by regional ministers in Muscat in November. To be presented at the accession meeting, the GCC countries will conduct a joint promotional campaign for the scheme once implemented.
Speaking during the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai, Bahrain's Minister of Tourism, Fatima Al-Serafi, said, "We are looking forward to this new visa service starting soon because we see people flying from abroad to Europe, usually a By spending time in multiple countries rather than a country, we have seen the value it can bring to all countries, not just one country.
He said that we have set a target of 8.3 million tourists for 2022 and will achieve more than 9.9 million tourists as we promote Bahrain's tourism market together with the UAE and other GCC markets. , resulting in an increase in the number of tourists, the number of people also increased when we jointly developed a unified destination through more than 100 tour operators.
Abdullah Al Saleh, Undersecretary of the UAE Ministry of Economy, said during the panel discussion that all GCC countries believe that the tourism sector is very important for the development of their economies, we have a common market and unified policies. In the tourism sector, the GCC can benefit from both the supply and demand side through unified regulations, policies and procedures to facilitate growth, with the increasing flow of people into the GCC over time. Getting smoother.
On this occasion, Fahad Hameeduddin, CEO of Saudi Tourism Authority, said that these days travelers do not think of a country but of a region. Saudi Arabia benefited greatly from the FIFA World Cup and demonstrates that joint offerings can be promoted and benefit everyone.