Unified GCC tourist visa to attract 129M visitors by 2030: Report

The unified GCC tourist visa will likely have an impact similar to the European Schengen visa, a report issued by Travel and Tour World website said.

The GCC countries intend to launch the unified tourist visa by December 2024, which will help the region attract about 129 million visitors by 2030, according to the report.

The visa program, similar to the Schengen visa system in Europe, will enable travelers to explore all the GC countries - the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman - using one visa.

Last December, the GCC Supreme Council approved the unified tourist visa, in a move aimed to strengthen cooperation and deepen ties in the field of tourism and various fields among the GCC countries and enhance the position of the Gulf countries as a globally distinguished tourist destination.