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Image credit – iStock-2032308693Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries will begin piloting a single tourist visa in the fourth quarter of 2025, UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla bin Toum Al Marri said, according to a Khaleej Times report. The Schengen-style visa will allow visitors to travel between all six GCC countries – the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait – with one permit.
Al Marri described the unified visa, known as the GCC Grand Tourist visa, as “a strategic step towards deeper regional integration and will develop the collective appeal of the Gulf as a tourism destination”. Although the exact launch date has not been announced, full implementation will follow a pilot phase after coordination with the Ministry of Interior and relevant stakeholders.
The visa is expected to benefit all GCC countries, with the UAE and Saudi Arabia likely to attract the most tourists. Travel and tourism executives believe the initiative will increase contribution, leisure and business travel, while contributing to religious tourism, leisure and business travel, jobs and the region’s GDP.
In 2024, the UAE will account for 3.3 million visitors from GCC countries, 11 percent of total hotel guests. It was followed by Saudi Arabia, Oman (777,000), Kuwait (381,000), Bahrain (123,000), (123,000) and Qatar (93,000).
The UAE’s tourism sector, tourism, hospitality, aviation, aviation, aviation, aviation, aviation, aviation technology and digital tourism solutions are set to grow at a rapid rate of 275 percent by mid-2025.
A single GCC tourist visa is expected to simplify travel, attract more regional tourists and strengthen economic cooperation between member countries. Officials advise travelers to stay updated for official announcements regarding visa cost, duration and application procedures.
