Schengen-style Gulf tourist visa for six destinations by year-end

The Schengen-style Gulf tourist visa, also referred to as the "GCC Grand Tours" visa, is planned to be launched by the end of 2024. This visa aims to simplify travel across the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).  Similar to the Schengen visa for Europe, it would allow visitors to travel freely within these countries with a single visa, potentially for a duration exceeding 30 days.

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) unified Gulf tourist visa will allow travellers to visit all six GCC states and spend more than 30 days in the region, UAE Minister of Economy Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri announced Monday.

He said, “In a significant move aimed at simplifying travel logistics and fostering tourism, the Gulf Cooperation Council has given the green light to a unified tourist visa that will allow travellers to visit all six countries. Through the GCC Grand Tours visa, that we are working on and aiming to finish, will allow tourists to spend more than 30 days in the region.”

Key highlights

— The GCC Grand Tours visa will be valid for over 30 days  

— Countries covered: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman  

— Rollout planned by end-2024

According to Gulf News, Khalid Jasim Al Midfa of Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Authority (SCTDA), said the “system should be in place by the end of the year.”

“By the end of this year, the whole system should be in place. Many people and teams, led by the Ministry of Economy in the UAE and other ministries in other countries, are working on it tirelessly to make it happen in the best possible way,” said Al Midfa.

Schengen-style visa

The GCC Grand Tours visa is designed to attract a higher number of tourists by simplifying the process of visiting multiple countries in the region, similar to the European Union's Schengen visa. This new unified visa is expected to significantly contribute to the growth of the tourism sector in the Gulf and increase the number of hotel guests, ultimately establishing the region as a leading destination for regional and international tourists.

The concept of a unified GCC tourist visa has been in the works since October last year, with unanimous approval from the GCC states.

Boost to tourism

Authorities in the UAE estimate that the unified GCC tourist visa could lead to a record number of visitors, with projections indicating a total of 128.7 million visitors by 2030. This surge in tourism is expected to have a significant impact on the regional economy, creating new opportunities for business and cultural exchange, as well as elevating the GCC's status as a premier travel destination.

UAE tops the list as the favourite travel destination for Indians

The United Arab Emirates was the leading destination for Indian tourists in 2022, attracting 5.89 million visitors in a year, followed by Saudi Arabia (2.42 million) and the United States (1.68 million), according to data from Booking.com and Statista.

The Middle East continues to be a popular destination for Indians as Saudi Arabia – another country in the region, was the second most visited for the year, hosting around 2.42 million visitors.