Traveling across the Gulf is about to become easier. The newly approved GCC Grand Tours Visa, also known as the GCC Visa or Unified Tourist Visa, is now in its final stages before launch.
UAE Minister of Economy Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri confirmed the announcement on June 16, 2025, stating that the Ministry of Interior and other stakeholders are now handling the implementation.
What Is the GCC Grand Tours Visa?
The GCC states have approved the Grand Tours Visa as a multi-entry tourist visa, allowing travelers to explore all six Gulf countries — the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman — with a single permit.
Designed to streamline travel across the Gulf, this unified visa eliminates the need for separate applications for each country, making cross-border journeys faster and more convenient.
Visitors will also enjoy a generous validity period, reportedly longer than 30 days, giving them ample time to discover the region’s diverse cultures, landscapes, and attractions at their own pace.
Inspired by the Schengen Model
GCC countries modelled the Grand Tours Visa on Europe’s successful Schengen Visa to enable seamless multi-country travel across the Gulf. Once rolled out, tourists will no longer need to apply for individual visas for each GCC nation, making the region more accessible, efficient, and tourist-friendly.
This initiative has been in development since October 2023, with all six member states giving it unanimous backing.
Why the GCC Visa Matters
Tourism experts see the visa as a game-changer for the region. By eliminating visa barriers, the new system is expected to:
- Boost tourism and hospitality investment
- Simplify travel planning for international visitors
- Encourage longer, multi-country trips
- Stimulate regional economic growth
Oman’s Minister of Heritage and Tourism, Salem bin Mohammed Al Mahrooq, stated that the visa project has received positive feedback and aligns with regional goals to enhance tourism infrastructure.
Central Asia Plans Unified Tourist Visa
In a similar move beyond the Gulf region, Central Asia is also planning a unified tourist visa. Kyrgyzstan’s president recently proposed a single-entry system that would cover;
- Kazakhstan
- Kyrgyzstan
- Tajikistan
- Turkmenistan
- Uzbekistan
This proposed visa would allow travelers to explore all five countries with a single application. The initiative aims to highlight Central Asia’s shared heritage and natural beauty while reducing bureaucratic hurdles for international visitors.
Record-Breaking Visitor Projections
The unified visa is expected to dramatically increase visitor numbers. The UAE anticipates 128.7 million tourists by 2030 as a result of this initiative, a significant jump that could redefine the Gulf’s position as a global travel hotspot.
Key GCC Tourism Statistics:
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Visitors in 2023 | 68.1 million |
| Tourism Revenue | $110.4 billion |
| Growth Since 2019 | +42.8% |
| UAE Tourism Jobs in 2024 | 833,000 |
| Projected UAE Tourism Jobs by 2030 | 1 million |
Rise of “Bleisure” Travel
One notable trend that the visa is expected to encourage is “bleisure” travel, where business travelers extend their stay for leisure purposes. With the ease of a single visa, professionals attending events in cities like Dubai or Doha may now explore multiple destinations in one trip.
This shift could lead to:
- Higher average tourist spending
- Longer hotel stays
- Cross-country cultural experiences
Dubai Leads the Way
Dubai remains a regional tourism leader, recording 7.15 million international visitors between January and April 2025 a 7% year-on-year increase. With the unified GCC Visa in place, other Gulf countries are expected to benefit from shared traffic and joint promotional efforts.
What This Means for Travellers
Once implemented, the GCC Visa will:
- Allow entry and travel across all six GCC countries
- Reduce paperwork and visa application time
- Promote regional tour packages and itineraries
- Enhance travel experiences across deserts, cities, coastlines, and heritage sites
While a launch date is still pending, industry experts believe implementation could come within the next few months.
Final Thoughts
The GCC Grand Tours Visa marks a bold step toward regional unity and smarter tourism. With a shared goal of economic diversification and cultural exchange, the Gulf nations are opening their doors to the world together. For travelers, this means one visa, six destinations, and a seamless journey through one of the world’s most dynamic regions.
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