Source: Schengen Visa Info
Citizens from European Union countries planning to travel to Saudi Arabia will be subject to the new tourist visa scheme that the latter’s authorities have introduced in order to increase the number of international visitors to the country.
Back in March, authorities in Saudi Arabia announced that they decided to reinstate visas on arrival for travellers who hold valid Schengen or UK visas.
Regarding the issue, the Tourism Minister of Saudi Arabia, Ahmed Al Khateeb announced that it signed a new decree in order to facilitate the travel process for internationals planning to visit this country, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
Authorities in Saudi Arabia also confirmed that holders of valid tourist or business visas to the UK or Schengen Zone countries are also eligible to apply for a visa on arrival, provided that the other visa has been used at least once in order to enter the issuing country.
It has also been revealed that the new tourist visa scheme can also benefit residents from the United States as well as those from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.
“Elevating the visitor experience is at the heart of the tourism sector’s future. Through harnessing digital innovation and streamlining the traveller’s journey, Saudi Arabia is welcoming more and more visitors,” Tourism Minister Al Khateeb pointed out in this regard.
Back in March, authorities in Saudi Arabia announced that they decided to reinstate visas on arrival for travellers who hold valid Schengen or UK visas. The decision was confirmed by Saudi Arabia’s Tourism Minister in an announcement for the State News Agency.
“Reinstating the visa-on-arrival programme marks the final step in returning Saudi to a pre-pandemic level of openness and makes it one of the most accessible destinations in the world for leisure, business and religious travel. Furthermore, this decision by the government will further support the many thousands of people who depend on tourism for their livelihoods while welcoming the world back to the destination with the warm hospitality for which the Saudi people are renowned,” Al-Khateeb stressed.
Regarding the latest announcement taken to ease the travel process for internationals from Schengen, EU and UK travellers, the Minister said that it was part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and an important step in developing a sustainable tourism sector.
Vision 2030 is a plan introduced to help the country’s economic sector to improve, especially to help the development of several sectors such as tourism, education and technology.
Recently, the European Union’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Patrick Simonnet, stressed that the EU is continuously working on a system that aims at visa-free travelling for citizens of Gulf countries.
