Tourism is poised for a significant boost in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain with the introduction of the new Schengen-style GCC visa in December 2024.

The much-anticipated tourist visa, inspired by the Schengen Agreement, is set to be introduced in December 2024. It aims to facilitate seamless travel between the six GCC nations (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman), enhance tourism, and simplify regional exploration.

This development is now a step closer to reality, following the fulfillment of statutory compliance and unanimous approval by all GCC states. The announcement was made in Oman during the 40th meeting of the GCC ministers.

With the new GCC visa, traveling within the six-member GCC bloc, which includes the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait, will become much easier.

Although the exact details, such as the visa cost, are not yet public knowledge, the project is expected to significantly boost tourism and attract more tourists to the region.

Tour operators and travel agents in the GCC are well-prepared to capitalize on the streamlined single GCC visa by creating all-inclusive itineraries featuring stops in Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE.

This forward-thinking strategy is designed to encourage tourism in the region and maximize the benefits of the new visa for travelers.