Middle East to launch Schengen-like visa scheme to woo Taylor Swift’s tour to the region, Saudi Arabia’s head of tourism, Fahd Hamidaddin said citing the tour’s history of stimulating economies.
Speaking at the Arabian Travel Market, Hamidaddin emphasized the need for regional collaboration to attract major events like Swift’s tour. He proposed the concept of an “Arabian tour” in collaboration with neighboring countries.
Highlighting the region’s upcoming “unified GCC visa,” similar to Europe’s Schengen visa, Hamidaddin noted its potential to facilitate seamless travel across the six Gulf Cooperation Council member nations. Expected to launch by the end of 2024, the visa aims to simplify travel logistics and promote tourism across the region.
The unified visa is anticipated to benefit the cruise industry significantly, eliminating the need for visas at each port of call. Hamidaddin, also a board member of Cruise Saudi, highlighted investments in cruise ships and terminals, foreseeing a shift from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea.
The Middle East’s tourism sector has witnessed remarkable growth, with Saudi Arabia alone attracting $800 billion in tourism investment. Achieving a milestone of 100 million tourist visits ahead of schedule, the kingdom is rapidly emerging as a tourism destination. Qatar, too, experienced a surge in tourist arrivals, buoyed by infrastructure developed for the FIFA World Cup.
The GCC tourism ministers view the unified visa as a catalyst for economic growth, aiming to streamline travel procedures and encourage longer stays, thus benefiting individual and collective economies in the region.
