GCC’s ‘Grand Tours visa’ in effect by year-end

The ‘Gulf Cooperation Council’s (GCC) Grand Tours visa, which will make it easier for people living in the Gulf region to move between countries freely, is set to come into effect by the end of the year.

Governmental efforts are on in full swing to secure ties and prepare necessary financial infrastructure for travellers’ convenience.

The Grand Tours Visa will function as a multi-entry visa and help travellers move freely among the six GCC nations — Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain.

Travellers will be able to move seamlessly between countries and have the freedom to spend more than 30 days in countries included in the visa. 

UAE’s Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority Chairman Khalid Jasim Al Midfa made the announcement at the Arabian Travel Market.

“By the end of this year, the whole system will be in place. We’re working day and night, and e-service is a vital part of it. We don’t want to complicate things for people, but at the same time maintain the same security level. It’ll be a very good initiative, and we’ll see a positive outcome for regional economies,” he was quoted as saying by The Peninsula. 

While seamless visa-free travel between GCC countries has already been in place for Gulf citizens, the GCC Grand Tours visa will give the same facility for expatriates living in the six countries.

It will further increase freedom of travel for them and further boost tourism and economies. 

“This will make travel to our region more convenient and affordable for tourists,” the UAE’s Minister of Economy Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri was quoted as saying.

Previously, at the World Economic Forum in Riyadh, he had said: “Once it comes into effect, it’ll contribute to highlighting the diverse tourism destinations in GCC countries, attracting and retaining tourists for longer periods, thus increasing the number of hotel bookings and making the region one of the leading destinations for regional and international tourists alike.”

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