Citizens from 51 countries will be eligible for tourist visas to visit Saudi Arabia from the end of this month.
The selective issuing of tourist visa, set to begin on 27 September, is seen as a first step in the government’s move to open up the country to visitors throughout the year, in order to help grow the tourism industry, enhance tourism facilities and develop heritage services.
Though the 51 countries whose citizens could visit the Kingdom were not named, sources said that the planned tourist visa would have a 90-day duration of stay and would cost around SR440 or about US$117.
Saudi Arabia currently issues tourist visas only to citizens of a handful of countries, and besides those admitted for religious pilgrimage, the Kingdom remains largely out of bounds to outsiders. The new tourism visa initiative aims to encourage visitors throughout the year and not just during the annual Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages.
Opening up the country for tourism is seen as part of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s modernisation and diversification efforts. Earlier this year, the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH) had confirmed that it was finalising specific rules on tourism and the details, requirements and nationality of visitors to be issued visas in the first step of opening up tourism in the country.
The SCTH is the official entity charged with developing all aspects of the tourism sector in Saudi Arabia, and is responsible for the organization, development, and promotion of tourism in the Kingdom. The Commission seeks to strengthen the role of tourism sector and overcome barriers to its growth, while developing the immense tourism potential enjoyed by the Kingdom. Besides preserving antiquities and heritage, the efforts of SCTH are aimed at enhancing the contribution of tourism to the cultural and economic development of the Kingdom, as well as growing the tourism sector in line with the Kingdom’s role and its influence in the international community.
