Middle East’s Schengen style GCC tourist visa set for launch this year, ETTravelWorld

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are set to launch the pilot phase of a unified tourist visa in the fourth quarter of 2025, UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri announced, according to a Khaleej Times report. The Schengen-style visa will allow visitors to travel across all six GCC countries – the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait – on a single permit.

Al Marri described the unified visa, also known as the GCC Grand Tourist Visa, as “a strategic step towards deeper regional integration and will enhance the Gulf’s collective appeal as a single tourism destination,” as reported by Khaleej Times. While the exact launch date has not been disclosed, full implementation will follow the pilot phase after coordination with the Ministry of Interior and relevant stakeholders.

The visa is expected to benefit all GCC countries, with the UAE and Saudi Arabia likely to attract the most tourists. Travel and tourism executives believe the initiative will boost religious tourism, leisure, and business travel, while generating jobs and contributing to the region’s GDP.

In 2024, the UAE hosted 3.3 million visitors from GCC countries, accounting for 11 per cent of total hotel guests. Saudi Arabia led with 1.9 million visitors, followed by Oman (777,000), Kuwait (381,000), Bahrain (123,000), and Qatar (93,000).

The UAE’s tourism sector has grown rapidly, with the number of commercial licenses in tourism, hospitality, aviation, air transport, aviation technologies, and digital tourism solutions reaching 39,546 by mid-September 2025 – a 275 per cent increase compared to mid-September 2020.

The single GCC tourist visa is expected to simplify travel, attract more regional tourists, and strengthen economic cooperation among member countries. Officials advise travellers to stay updated for official announcements regarding visa cost, duration, and application procedures.