GCC to Launch Tourist Visa Trial in Fourth Quarter of 2025

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is preparing to roll out a trial phase for its long-awaited unified tourist visa in the fourth quarter of 2025. The pilot phase will lay the groundwork for a full launch of the visa in the future.

The initiative is seen as a major step toward regional tourism integration and is part of a broader Gulf strategy to boost the tourism sector's impact on the region’s economy.

His Excellency Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism, highlighted the importance of the unified visa as a key development in regional travel. 

He noted that the visa would help present the Gulf as a connected tourist destination while also showcasing the unique tourism offerings of each GCC member state. 

Looking ahead to 2025, His Excellency projected that the UAE will receive around 33 million hotel guests. Hotel revenues are also expected to grow by 7% compared to the AED 45 billion recorded in 2024. 

The upcoming launch of the GCC Grand Tourist Visa is expected to further support this momentum. With simplified travel across member states, the unified visa will encourage longer stays and multi-destination trips within the region. 

This will likely lead to higher hotel occupancy, increased visitor spending, and a stronger regional travel flow.

Over the past five years, the Ministry of Economy and Tourism has also worked to strengthen international ties in the tourism sector. 

Through 38 memoranda of understanding and three executive action programs with key partners, the focus has been on boosting cooperation, attracting investment, and exchanging expertise in areas such as training and marketing.