Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman, which are members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), are discussing the creation of a common visa area, similar to the Schengen area. Arabian Business reported about it on Wednesday.
In particular, Bahraini Tourism Minister Fatima Al-Sairafi, UAE Deputy Economy Minister Abdullah Al Saleh and Saudi Tourism Authority Director Fahd Hamidaddin held talks on the margins of the Arabian Travel Market exhibition, which opened in Dubai on Monday. Participants at the meeting, as Arabian Business notes, talked about the need to unify visa rules applied in the GCC countries.
According to the Saudi representative, the fact that "a Schengen-type visa for the Gulf region can bring enormous benefits is increasingly being recognized." "The accessibility of travel to the Gulf countries will have a positive impact on the development of the tourism industry, and the traveler will not have to face restrictions at border crossings," Hamidaddin was quoted as saying by the magazine.
Arabian Business recalls that the first experience of joint management of tourist flow was gained during the World Cup in Qatar. Saudi Arabia, for example, issued visas valid for 60 days to holders of Hayya cards, which had to be issued to fans and officials of the tournament. In April 2023, Qatar began issuing tourist visas through the Hayya portal, which was originally used only for the fan card. However, travelers who enter Qatar via the land border with Saudi Arabia can pre-register on the site to expedite border control.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Michael Gaida/Pixabay
Based on materials from TASS