UAE reveals when the unified GCC tourist visa will come into force

The UAE Minister of Economy, Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, said that the tourism ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries have approved the unified Gulf tourist visa, pointing out that the procedures for applying for this visa will be discussed next month by the interior ministers of the GCC countries for approval.

“After the adoption of the visa, the controls and legislation for its application will be developed, and it is expected to enter into force during 2024 and 2025 according to the readiness of the internal regulations of the cooperation countries,” Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri said in statements to the Emirates news agency “WAM“.

“The new visa will allow the holder to visit six countries on a unified tourist visa, as it focuses on attracting tourists and keeping them in the GCC countries for a longer period, which will enhance the Gulf economic integration,” the UAE Minister of Economy explained.

“The next stage requires studying a unified Gulf tourist route linking the GCC countries in a single path followed by foreign visitors whose stay extends for more than 30 days in order to benefit from the unified Gulf tourist visa after its application,” Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri said.

“During its recent meeting, the UAE tourism council discussed the preparation of the UAE tourism route linking the seven emirates with each other, within the framework of readiness and readiness for the Gulf Association when applying for the unified Gulf tourist visa, which in turn introduces a new tourism product to attract international tourists to the Arabian Gulf region,” he explained.

The UAE Minister of Economy pointed out that this initiative comes within the framework of the GCC Strategy 2030, which aims to increase the contribution of the tourism sector to GDP by increasing the number of hotel guests in the GCC countries and making it the leading tourist destination in the world for regional and international tourists.