Saudi Tourism Highlights Strong Progress on Unified GCC Visa

The Gulf Cooperation Council's unified tourist visa is edging closer to reality after four years of joint development. Dr. Emad Manshi, President of the Saudi Tourism Association, confirmed that the initiative has advanced significantly, despite the technical and intergovernmental challenges involved.

Dr. Manshi explained that the visa effort has required coordination across multiple fronts, including legislation, security, policy, and infrastructure. He described the process as highly technical and politically layered, but emphasized that measurable progress has been made.

He compared the Gulf project and Europe’s Schengen visa. While the Schengen visa took about a decade to launch after its initial planning in 1985, Dr. Manshi noted that the Gulf states are on track to roll out a similar system in a significantly shorter timeframe. 

Tourism, however, was not a strategic priority for the Gulf nations during the early phase of the Schengen Agreement. Dr. Manshi pointed out that Dubai was the first in the region to pursue tourism, starting in the mid-1990s. Other countries, such as Oman and Saudi Arabia, followed later.

Passenger traffic figures show the growing strength of the region’s tourism infrastructure. Four major Gulf airlines transported over 150 million passengers in a single year, with roughly 70 million flying within the Gulf and 80 million arriving as transit passengers. According to Dr. Manshi, the numbers are likely to rise as Gulf countries continue to develop new destinations and expand their tourism offerings.

Air transport continues to dominate tourist entry into the Gulf. With limited land-based tourism links to neighboring regions, nearly all international arrivals come by air. “Over 99% of tourist traffic depends on air connectivity,” Dr. Manshi stated.

He highlighted the role of both full-service and low-cost carriers in expanding access. Regional budget airlines such as Air Arabia in the UAE and Flynas in Saudi Arabia have helped open new routes and supported wider sector growth. He added that airport infrastructure and interconnectivity will be key pillars in the unified visa’s rollout.

Dr. Manshi concluded by crediting the leadership of the GCC member states for accelerating the effort. He said ministries of tourism, justice, interior, and foreign affairs have been empowered to align their systems and policies. The unified visa, he noted, is a regional strategy aimed at increasing cooperation, economic growth, and global tourism appeal.