The tourism industry in the Middle East is set to boost its tourism sector with the introduction of a new Schengen-style program called “GCC Grand Tours.”
This innovative initiative will enable travellers to tour the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations, such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman.
The visa is expected to launch by the end of December 2024, signifying an advancement, in unity and tourism convenience.
Benefits of the unified visa
The new GCC Grand Tours visa is designed to make travelling easier by allowing tourists to visit countries, in the region without having to obtain visas for each country. This unified system is expected to draw travellers boosting the economy and establishing the Middle East as a top destination, for global tourism.
Industry experts, in the travel sector have shown positivity regarding the expected rise in tourism likening it to the influence of the Schengen visa on travel within Europe.
Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, the Minister of Economy in the UAE highlighted that the introduction of this visa has the potential to attract several tourists with estimates suggesting a substantial increase, to 128.7 million visitors by 2030.
The initiative aims to make it easier for people to explore the historical sites, in the region opening up new possibilities for both business and cultural interactions. Tour companies are getting ready, with travel plans that take advantage of the visa system expected to increase hotel bookings and overall tourism income across the Gulf countries.
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