Dubaiuncovered

Unified Gulf Tourist Visa Approved and Set to Launch in 2024 or 2025

A game-changing Schengen-style visa that will allow tourists to explore the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries has been approved and is expected to be rolled out as early as next year, according to UAE Minister of Economy Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri. The visa, which was approved during a meeting of GCC ministers in Muscat, will cover the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait.

The process to implement the visa will be discussed in the coming month, with finalization of the rules determining whether the launch will be in 2024 or 2025. Al Marri also revealed that the GCC governments are planning to study a unified tourist route that connects all six countries, which will be followed by foreign tourists staying over 30 days. Additionally, the Emirates Tourism Council in the UAE discussed the preparation of an Emirati tourism route that connects all seven emirates.

The introduction of the unified Gulf tourist visa is part of the GCC’s 2030 strategy, which aims to increase the tourism sector’s contribution to the gross domestic product by boosting inter-city flights and the number of hotel guests across the region. Currently, tourism accounts for 14 percent of the UAE’s GDP, and the country aims to increase this to 18 percent.

The Gulf countries have made significant investments in infrastructure to attract foreign tourists, with Dubai being a top global tourist destination. In the first half of 2023, Dubai recorded 8.55 million international overnight visitors, exceeding pre-pandemic levels. Hoteliers and travel industry executives believe that the unified visa will not only benefit the tourism sector but also contribute to overall economic growth, creating job opportunities for citizens and residents of the region.

Last year, the Gulf countries welcomed 39.8 million visitors, a growth rate of 136.6 percent compared to 2021, as global travel rebounded after the pandemic. The GCC aims to increase the number of foreign tourists by over 220 percent to 128.7 million by 2030. The unified Gulf tourist visa is expected to play a significant role in achieving this target.

In terms of economic impact, the UAE minister stated that the total value of the travel and tourism sector is projected to reach $185.9 billion in 2023, with GCC tourist spending forecasted to grow to $96.9 billion by the end of the year. The region aims to increase the spending of incoming tourists to $188 billion by 2030.

Dubai alone offers 810 hotel establishments and 148,689 rooms, contributing to the total of 10,649 establishments found in the GCC region. The UAE ranks second in hotel establishments after Saudi Arabia, with a total of 1,114 establishments. The Gulf as a whole has 674,832 hotel rooms.

Overall, the unified Gulf tourist visa and the growth of the tourism sector are expected to have a positive impact on the region’s economies, as well as create new opportunities for job growth.