In order to simplify travel arrangements and improve the tourism sector, the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have collectively approved the Unified Tourist Visa system proposal.
Following the new decision, individuals can explore various member states, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), promoting easier cross-border travel within the region, VisaGuide.World reports.
For the first time, the GCC countries planned to launch their “Schengen-style” visa in May this year. Scheduled to be implemented between 2024 and 2025 throughout the six-nation bloc, the Unified Gulf Tourist Visa was unveiled during the 40th meeting held in the Omani capital, Muscat.
As highlighted by the UAE Minister of Economy Abdulla bin Touq, a vital component of the GCC 2030 tourism strategy, the unified visa is poised to play an essential role in the region’s economic landscape by fostering increased travel within member states.
As reported by local media, this strategy is designed to increase the economic impact of the tourism sector, not only by encouraging regional travel but also by targeting higher hotel occupancy rates.
In this regard, Minister Touq emphasized that this initiative aims to significantly increase the number of visitors, thus reaching 128.7 million visitors by 2030. Such a figure represents an increase of 137 percent from the 39.8 million visitors registered last year, also marking a strong commitment to the growth and development of the tourism industry within the GCC.
By the end of 2022, the total number of hotels in the region reached 10,649, marking a growth rate of 1.2 percent compared to 2016.
Among the GCC nations, the UAE stands out with a notable hospitality infrastructure, boasting 1,114 hotels and securing the second position in the region, just behind Saudi Arabia.
Despite global economic challenges, the Middle East’s tourism sector has shown an impressive rebound after the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, last year alone, the Middle East witnessed a remarkable recovery in travel, rebounding to 90 percent of pre-pandemic levels.
At the same time, two major economies, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, have achieved a “total recovery” in tourist arrivals during the first quarter of this year.
The 2023 Economic Impact Research (EIR) conducted by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has projected that the UAE’s tourism sector will return to pre-pandemic levels this year.
In addition, the sector is predicted to make a significant economic contribution, totaling AED 180.6 billion by the end of this year.