It was announced in the final statement of the meeting of leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, which was held recently in Doha, Qatar, that the Supreme Council supported the efforts of the Interior Ministers Committee regarding the unified tourist visa. The Council approved the findings reached by the committee, and issued its directives to grant the Ministers of Interior the necessary powers to implement this unified visa across the Council countries.
According to this, holders of a visa or residence permit can enter one of the 6 Gulf Cooperation Council countries (Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait).
The Minister of Tourism, Mr. Ahmed bin Aqeel Al-Khatib, extended his thanks to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and to Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, against the backdrop of the Supreme Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council’s approval to issue the visa. Unified tourism.
The Minister of Tourism stated that the Supreme Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council’s approval of the unified tourist visa represents an important and historic step. He stressed that this decision highlights the commitment of member states to strengthening cooperation and improving relations in the tourism sector and other fields. He also pointed out that this step will contribute to strengthening the position of the Gulf countries as a prominent tourist destination on the global level.
The Minister explained that issuing the unified tourist visa is consistent with the path of development and progress that the Gulf Cooperation Council countries are going through in various fields. He stressed that this step will play an influential role in supporting communication and mutual cooperation between member states, which contributes to achieving the regional integration and interconnection that the GCC countries seek.
The first step took place in AlUla, where the tourism ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries decided to adopt the Gulf Strategy for Tourism at their meeting that took place in November 2022. Among the most prominent results of this meeting was the approval of the unified Gulf tourist visa.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia led efforts to develop the legislative framework to adopt a unified tourist visa, to support joint Gulf efforts in the field of tourism. This work reflects its leadership role in creating influential initiatives aimed at strengthening the position of the GCC countries as a distinct and unified tourist destination in the region.
Last October, during their meeting held in the Sultanate of Oman, the tourism ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries approved the unified Gulf tourist visa, and the ministers expected at the time that the visa would enter into force during the years 2024 and 2025, when controls and legislation for its implementation would be put in place.
Last November 2023, during the 40th meeting of Interior Ministers, held in Amman, the ministers discussed many security issues that would enhance joint security work, most notably the implementation of the unified Gulf tourist visa project according to a specific timetable.
The unified visa allows visiting 6 countries on a single tourist visa, as it focuses on attracting tourists and keeping them in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries for a longer period, which would enhance Gulf economic integration.
The Minister of Tourism says that it contributes to facilitating the movement of tourists and incoming visitors between the GCC countries, thus enhancing the role of tourism as an engine for economic growth, and opening new opportunities for investment in the tourism sector in each of the member states, stressing at the same time the Kingdom’s Ministry of Tourism’s keenness to cooperate closely with Their counterparts in the Gulf tourism ministries to ensure the implementation and coordination of this step in the best way to serve the tourism and economic sectors in the region
