The Gulf Cooperation Council, an organization in which multiple Persian Gulf countries have representation, recently announced its proposal to offer travelers a visa that would grant them access to six countries in the area. With one visa people would be able to explore Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Currently, travelers from certain countries have to apply for a tourist visa from each country to be granted access. This makes planning a tour of multiple nations in the region not feasible, or at least more time-consuming. A major part of planning the trip is spent applying for these visas, not to mention the fact that each application process comes with an added cost.
This visa concept could potentially benefit tourists even from countries that don’t require a visa to visit some of these destinations. As it’s proposed, the new travel document would grant folks access to these six countries for over 30 days. Usually, most countries will only give people on tourist visas or no visas at all, for that matter, this access for 30 days. The idea is to help tourists extend their stay within the region. This could also help boost the tourism revenue that some of the countries like Kuwait and Oman generate. Kuwait, in particular, is a country that’s still dragging behind a bit of a negative reputation, at least in the West.
It’s important to point out that the initiative does not require travelers to visit more countries within the region throughout their stay. If you’re just looking for a way to get more days in the UAE, this visa could be the perfect opportunity to do that. What’s also not clear at the moment is if this Visa will replace any of the options that are currently available. It seems that it will stand as an alternative to some of the possibilities that tourists have at the moment. This does not mean, however, that the immigration situation in the Persian Gulf countries will mimic the Euro Zone in the near future.
This initiative was actually already approved by the member nations of The Gulf Cooperation Council last November. At the moment, travelers are just waiting on the set date for when it’s meant to take effect. This could happen in the coming months, or it could linger into 2025. With an approval already in place from the member countries, however, this visa is set to become a reality at some point. Another thing that this change provides is an opportunity for Persian Gulf countries to jointly promote the region. This is not only something that could alter marketing campaigns moving forward. What it could also bring are major shifts in airline routes. Fly Emirates and Qatar Airways, two of the more prominent airlines in the region, could likely open up more routes from countries outside the Persian Gulf to places like Kuwait. That could not only change travel itineraries, but it could provide more cost-effective ways to travel to the region.
