Through this visa, tourists can visit all the countries of GCC.
The Gulf Corporation Council (GCC), a group of six Islamic Gulf countries, has issued a new tourist visa named ‘GCC Grand Tours’.
This announcement has been made by UAE Economy Minister Abdullah bin Touq Al-Marri.
This visa is designed on the lines of the European Union’s Schengen visa which allows tourism in all European Union countries.
UAE officials estimate that the GCC tourist visa will bring a record number of tourists to the Gulf countries.
There are six countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council – Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait. These countries have issued a visa to promote tourism in their region. Through this visa, tourists can visit all the countries of GCC.
The Gulf Corporation Council (GCC), a group of six Islamic Gulf countries, has issued a new tourist visa named ‘GCC Grand Tours’. With the help of this tourist visa, tourists can visit all the six Gulf countries of the group (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar) for 30 days. This announcement has been made by UAE Economy Minister Abdullah bin Touq Al-Marri. The aim of this step is to promote tourism and make travel easier for tourists in the area.
The GCC Grand Tours Visa has been designed to increase the number of tourists in these Gulf countries. Through this, tourists can visit 6 countries using a single visa. This visa is designed on the lines of the European Union’s Schengen visa which allows tourism in all European Union countries.
27 countries of the European Union have kept the facility of Schengen visa for the convenience of tourists and to promote tourism in their countries. Using this visa, you can travel anywhere in the Shengen area (the joint area of 27 countries is called Shengen). Through this visa, tourists can stay in the European Union countries for a maximum of 90 days from the entry date of the visa for a period of 6 months.
Single visa will benefit the economy of Gulf countries
Six Gulf countries including UAE and Saudi want more and more tourists to come to their country so that their hotel sector grows and the region emerges as the main attraction for international tourists.
Talks regarding single visa were going on in the Gulf countries since October last year. Oman’s Heritage and Tourism Minister Salem bin Mohammed Al Maruq said that feedback was taken from all concerned countries regarding this visa till December 2023. In April this year, UAE Economy Minister Al Marri had said that the single visa would prove important in attracting international tourists.
UAE officials estimate that the GCC tourist visa will bring a record number of tourists to the Gulf countries. It is estimated that by 2030, 12.87 crore tourists will come to these countries. This will strengthen the economy of the region and new opportunities for business will emerge.
