Gulf countries announce common tourist visa
Like the European Union and its Schengen area, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has approved its brand new "unified tourist visa" project for all Gulf countries. We tell you all about this decision, which could have a major impact on tourism and, by the same token, rental property investment in the region.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) announces a unified visa
The interior ministers of the GCC(whose member countries are: Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar) have announced that they have found common ground to launch their brand-new unified tourist visa project. The decision was taken at a meeting held in Oman on Wednesday, November 8, 2023.
In practical terms, what will this visa be used for?
It will enable tourists from all over the world to travel to the six member states of the GCC (presented above) on a single visa! This will considerably simplify the task of tourism professionals and make life easier for travellers, the main people concerned.
"The unified Gulf visa will facilitate the movement of residents and tourists between Gulf countries, with positive repercussions for the economy and tourism," says GCC Secretary General Mohamed Albudaiwi.
A project in line with the objectives announced for 2030
This decision will soon be implemented. This will enable the GCC countries to move in the right direction, as they hope to see tourism take a much larger share of their GDP by 2030.
Indeed, member countries hope to increase the number of their visits by 7% per year over the period 2023-2030, for a total increase in expenditure of 8% per year. The latter could reach $96.9 billion by the end of 2023 and $188 billion by 2030.
This strategy is already bearing fruit, as the number of tourists to GCC countries has already risen by 136.6% to 39.8 million. The joint strategy aims to increase this figure to 128.7 million by 2030. A boon for real estate investors, who will be able to capitalize on short-term rental demand.
