UAE-Saudi likely to introduce `Schengen-style Visa` for tourists

Currently, the countries of the Gulf region of the Middle East are becoming attractive to tourists from different countries of the world. Three countries in the Gulf region — Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain — have planned to introduce 'Schengen-style visas' to further boost this booming tourism sector.

If this 'Schengen-style visa' is introduced, tourists will be able to travel to these three Gulf countries under this special visa, without the need for a separate visa.

The conference and fair of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), the alliance of tourism trade of the countries of the Arab region, started in Dubai on May 1. Bahrain's Minister of Tourism, Fatima Al Seirafi, announced this at the event on Wednesday. At that time, he was accompanied by Prince Abdullah R. Saleh, Undersecretary of the Emirates Government and Fahad Hamiduddin, the top executive of the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA).

"We have huge potential (in the tourism sector)," said Fatima Al-Sairafi. To utilize this potential, we have taken the initiative to unite the countries of the Gulf region. In 2022, we received 9.9 million tourists. How is this possible?'

"This is possible because we were able to coordinate Bahrain with other destinations in the GCC alliance last year."

The project was piloted by the Gulf Cooperation Council for foreign visitors during the 2022 World Cup football tournament in Qatar. It was mainly around that time that tourists surged in Bahrain last year.

The total number of GCC member states is 6 — Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman. In Wednesday's press conference, Fatima Al Sairafi said, "Schengen Visa" is currently being launched in Saudi Arabia, Emirates and Bahrain. They plan to involve other members of the GCC in the project later.

Fahad Hamiduddin, chief executive of the Saudi Tourism Authority, said the GCC countries - Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain - regulate visa processes at different paces, making visa policy formulation "quite complicated for good reason".

However, he said that the success of each GCC country will help other countries.

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