Saudi Arabia will offer tourist visas to a range of nationalities for the first time as it pushes ahead with plans to diversify its economy away from oil and making tourism as a pillar of its economy. The announcement of the visa regulation, scheduled for Friday and the details of the plans are yet to come.
Vision 2030 reform programme of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is prioritising tourism as one of the centrepiece to prepare the biggest Arab economy for a post-oil era.
Vision 2030 agenda includes increasing the economic contribution of tourism from a current 3% to 10% of GDP by 2030 and bringing international and domestic visits to 100 million annually by the same time. At present Saudi Arabia’s foreign tourism market relies exclusively on religious pilgrims coming to the country for Hajj. The government anticipates those numbers to arrive at 30 million per annum by 2030.
The announcement comes just two weeks after devastating attacks on Saudi Arabia’s oil infrastructure –- blamed by Washington on Iran –- which roiled global energy markets and raised fears of a wider regional conflict. Declaration of this offer came just two weeks after terror attacks claimed by Houthi rebels of Yemen shut down half of the kingdom’s oil production.
“Opening Saudi Arabia to international tourists is a historic moment for our country,” tourism chief Ahmed al-Khateeb said.“For the first time we are opening up the adventure, heritage, and history for people who will visit KSA as tourists”,he added.“Visitors will be surprised… by the treasures we have to share — five UNESCO World Heritage Sites, a vibrant local culture and breathtaking natural beauty.”
Saudi Arabia will open applications for online tourist visas to citizens of 49 countries on Saturday, Khateeb said this.
Khateeb said the kingdom will also simplify its strict dress code for foreign women, allowing them to go without the body-shrouding abaya robe that is still binding public wear for Saudi women.However,foreign women need to wear “modest clothing”, he added, without elaborating.
Last year in a very unexpected move, Saudi Arabia started issuing temporary visas to visitors to attend sporting and cultural events in a bid to kickstart tourism, but its strict regulations forbidding alcohols and strict social code has been seen by many as a hard sell for tourists.
The government, reeling from low oil prices, says it expects tourism will contribute up to 10 percent of the gross domestic product by 2030 as compared to three percent presently.
By 2030 it aims to attract up to 100 million annual visits by both domestic and foreign tourists.The sector is also expected to create up to one million tourism jobs as it encounters high youth unemployment.
In 2017, the kingdom announced a multi-billion dollar project to turn 50 islands and other pristine sites on the Red Sea into luxury resorts.
Last year, construction of Qiddiya “entertainment city” was launched near Riyadh, which would include high-end theme parks, motor sport facilities and a safari area.
The country is also developing historic sites such as the centuries-old Mada’in Saleh, home to sandstone tombs of the same civilisation which built the Jordanian city of Petra.
