Gulf Bloc Greenlights 'Grand Tours' Visa for Seamless Horizons
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai
Approval has arrived for the unified tourist permit spanning Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, the UAE and Bahrain, clearing the path for cross‑border travel under a single application, akin to Europe's Schengen system. UAE Minister of Economy Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri confirmed that the visa has moved to implementation stage, now resting with GCC interior ministries and security agencies for final coordination.
Governments in all six member states have endorsed the scheme unanimously, reflecting a strategic priority to deepen tourism cooperation through the GCC 2030 strategy. Oman's Minister of Heritage and Tourism, Salem bin Mohammed Al Mahrouqi, disclosed that preliminary blueprinting and feedback were concluded by end‑2023, and final approval occurred at the Muscat ministerial meeting this month. The GCC Secretary‑General, Jassim Al‑Budaiwi, expressed optimism about deployment by end‑2025, with technical alignment underway.
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Experts anticipate the visa will be valid for at least 30 days, potentially extendable to 90, facilitating flexible travel across the region. Applications are expected to be submitted online, with a choice between single‑state access or multi‑country entry, and accompanied by standard requirements—passport, photo, accommodation proof, insurance, and return travel documentation.
Industry stakeholders predict this measure will significantly boost 'bleisure' tourism by intertwining business and leisure travel, expanding multi‑destination offerings and joint marketing opportunities. Dubai alone logged 7.15 million international visitors from January to April 2025, a 7 per cent increase year‑on‑year, with regional tourism already generating $110.4 billion in 2023 from 68.1 million arrivals.
Polls by Oxford Economics estimate the visa could draw up to 22 million extra visitors and inject an additional $26 billion of tourist spending by 2030. Roland Berger further outlines that inter‑GCC travel has significant room for growth, supported by strong transport infrastructure, cultural assets and mega‑event calendars.
National tourism strategies across the Gulf have outlined commitments to invest in hotels, cultural destinations, transport connectivity and digital innovation. Economy‑diversifying goals align with visa harmonisation, which is viewed as a lever to translate policy into visitor flows.
Key questions remain around pricing and fee structure. While details have yet to emerge, observers expect integrated visa costs to be lower than applying separately to each state, with validity spanning up to three months.
The visa is also anticipated to support lesser‑visited Gulf destinations. Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait could benefit from spill‑over tourism that pilots through Dubai before exploring quieter cultural or natural sites.
Coordination challenges remain for interior ministries around border systems and security protocols. These are now being finalised ahead of implementation, with the official rollout expected later in 2025.
As the Gulf coalition moves from theory to mechanics, attention turns to how the visa will revolutionise travel dynamics. With a single application, global tourists will be empowered to hop between hyper‑modern cityscapes, desert oases and heritage enclaves—now under one permit.
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