look news india
The Gulf Corporation Council (GCC), a group of six Islamic Gulf countries, has issued a new tourist visa named 'GCC Grand Tours'. With the help of this tourist visa, tourists can visit all the six Gulf countries of the group (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar) for 30 days. This announcement has been made by UAE Economy Minister Abdullah bin Touq Al-Marri. The move is aimed at promoting tourism and making travel easier for tourists in the region.
The GCC Grand Tours Visa is designed to increase tourist numbers to these Gulf countries. Through this, tourists can travel to 6 countries with a single visa. This visa is designed on the lines of the European Union's Schengen visa which allows tourism to all EU countries.
27 countries of the European Union have maintained the facility of Schengen visa for the convenience of tourists and to promote tourism in their country. Using this visa you can travel anywhere in the Schengen Area (the combined area of 27 countries is called Schengen). Through this visa, tourists can stay in EU countries for a maximum of 90 days for a period of 6 months from the date of entry of the visa.
Single visa will benefit the economy of Gulf countries
Six Gulf countries, including the United Arab Emirates and Saudi, want more and more tourists to come to their country so that their hotel sector grows and the region emerges as the main attraction for international tourists.
Talks regarding single visa were going on in Gulf countries since October last year. Salem bin Mohammed Al Marouk, Oman's Minister of Heritage and Tourism, said that feedback was taken from all concerned countries regarding this visa till December 2023. In April this year, UAE Economy Minister Al Marri had said that the single visa would prove important in attracting international tourists.
UAE officials estimate that the GCC tourist visa will bring record numbers of tourists to the Gulf countries. It is estimated that by 2030, 12.87 crore tourists will come to these countries. This will strengthen the economy of the region and new business opportunities will emerge.