GCC unified tourist visa soon; visit all six countries on one visa

Muscat: A unified tourist visa allowing travellers to visit all six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries with a single permit is expected to be introduced soon, potentially bringing a major change to tourism across the region.

The proposed scheme, known as ‘GCC Grand Tours’, will cover Oman, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait. Modelled on Europe’s Schengen visa system, the initiative is designed to allow international tourists to travel across the six countries without having to complete separate visa procedures for each destination.

At present, visitors planning to tour multiple GCC countries generally have to deal with individual visa requirements imposed by each country. The unified system is expected to simplify those procedures and make movement between the Gulf states considerably easier for tourists.

The initiative could also encourage travellers to combine several GCC destinations in a single trip rather than visiting individual countries separately. By making cross-border travel more convenient, the scheme is expected to strengthen the region’s appeal among international tourists and provide fresh momentum to the Gulf’s growing tourism sector.

The unified visa is being viewed as an important step towards greater integration of the region’s tourism industry, allowing the six countries to promote themselves as a connected travel destination rather than as separate markets.

However, key details of the scheme have yet to be finalised. Authorities have not announced the application procedure, visa fee, validity period, eligibility requirements or the exact date on which the unified visa will become operational.

Further details on the GCC Grand Tours initiative are expected to be announced soon as the participating countries move towards implementing the system.