UAE Minister: Unified visa will boost Gulf-wide tourism

The issuance of a unified tourist visas for Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries will happen soon, the UAE Minister of Economy, Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, has revealed.

Al Marri said during the first session of the second day of the Future of Hospitality Summit within the activities of Abu Dhabi Travel and Tourism Week that the new unified visa system would allow tourists to visit several Gulf countries, a move expected to greatly contribute to the GCC countries’ attractiveness to tourists from all over the world.

The idea of a single Schengen-type tourist visa for Gulf countries has been proposed earlier in a move aimed to help further boost visitor numbers to the bloc. Supporting tourism in any GCC country is considered supporting tourism in all GCC countries.

This comes within the framework of integrating tourism strategies among the GCC countries. Al Marri said: “Supporting tourism in any GCC country is considered supporting tourism in all GCC countries.”