Media Centre

Saudi tourism minister expects unified GCC visa next year

MANAMA - Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb announced that a unified Gulf visa is expected to be launched next year, marking a major milestone achieved after four years of collaboration among Gulf nations.

Speaking at the Gulf Gateway Investment Forum in Manama on Monday, Bahrain, Al-Khateeb said the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are witnessing a historic transformation in their tourism sectors, with tourism emerging as a key economic pillar alongside oil and trade.

He highlighted the region’s rich cultural heritage, advanced infrastructure, and secure environment as drivers of this growth, positioning the Gulf as one of the world’s leading tourism destinations.

Al-Khateeb also revealed that the region’s four major airlines carried nearly 150 million passengers last year, though only 70 million traveled within the Gulf.

He said this gap represents a major opportunity to enhance connectivity and integration among GCC destinations.