Gulf Countries Agree To Implement Integrated Tourist Visa Systems For Tourists

Saudi Arabian visa illustration. (Wikimedia Commons/Tehrani33)

JAKARTA - Being one of the favorite tourist destinations from various parts of the world, the Gulf Area offers landscapes, cultural tourism to a variety of attractions full of technology that pamper tourists.

Most recently, tourists planning to visit this area will be further pampered, with the agreement to implement an integrated tourist visa system by countries that are members of the Bay Cooperation Gods (GCC).

This Schengen-like visa system was announced by the Minister of Home Affairs, Oman Sayyed Hamoud bin Faisal Al Busaidi, at the GCC Interior Ministers' Meeting in Oman.

With this single tourist visa system, the journey across Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will be simpler and more comfortable.

GCC Secretary General Jassim Al Budaiwi said the system is expected to operate between 2024 - 2025, to encourage a more integrated travel experience.

Al Budaiwi emphasized that this decision was not just an administrative but reflected a commitment to strengthening communication and coordination between GCC countries.

Furthermore, the integrated Gulf tourist visa project is ready to simplify travel logistics, offering a smooth experience for residents and tourists. This in turn is expected to have a positive impact on the economic and tourism sectors in the region.

"The integrated Gulf tourist visa is a project that will contribute to facilitating and facilitating the movement of residents and tourists among the six GCC countries, of course it will have a positive impact on the economic and tourism sectors," Al Budaiwi said, citing The Economic Times on November 10.

The implementation of this initiative is expected to make the Gulf region ready to become a more attractive tourist destination for tourists, encourage greater collaboration and connectivity among member countries.

"This new visa will open the door for tourists, giving them access to six countries under one integrated tourist visa, which ultimately encourages economic synergy throughout the Gulf region," said UAE Economics Minister Abdulla bin Touq, quoted from The National News.

It is known that the Middle East tourism sector has recorded post-pandemic recovery, despite global economic challenges, according to a HSBC research report in August.

The application of an integrated tourist visa is an integral part of the 2030 GCC tourism strategy, to increase the contribution of the tourism sector to the economy.

It also aims to increase the number of visitors to GCC countries to 128.7 million visitors by 2030. This figure is up from 39.8 million visitors last year, or an increase of 136.6 percent compared to 2021.