Schengen-style GCC Unified Tourist Visa covering 6 Gulf nations approved, to roll out soon: Report
Abu Dhabi: The long-anticipated GCC unified tourist visa has reportedly been approved and will be rolled out shortly. It will allow foreign tourists to visit all six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council — the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait — under a single entry permit, in a move reminiscent of the Schengen visa system in Europe.
“The single (GCC) tourist visa has been approved and waiting now to be implemented, hopefully, soon. Now, it is with the Ministry of Interior and the relevant stakeholders and they should look into it,” Khaleej Times quoted Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, UAE’s Minister of Economy, as saying.
The idea of a unified GCC tourist visa, also referred to as the "GCC Grand Tours Visa”, has been under discussion for few years, aimed at enhancing regional tourism by simplifying travel procedures. Once implemented, it will allow travellers to visit all six Gulf countries under a single visa, removing the current requirement of applying separately for each destination, despite the countries being well-connected by air and road.
Data released by the Statistical Centre for the Cooperation Council for the Arab Countries of the Gulf, and cited by Khaleej Times, shows the region attracted 68.1 million visitors in 2023, generating a record-breaking $110.4 billion in tourism revenue. This marks a 42.8 percent increase in tourist arrivals compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
Industry experts reportedly believe that the unified GCC tourist visa will be a game-changer for the regional tourism sector and the broader economy. They anticipate significant benefits, including increased job creation, enhanced gross domestic product (GDP), and a rise in "bleisure" travel — a growing trend where business travellers extend their trips to explore neighbouring destinations for leisure.
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Assam: Principal of govt school held for 'sexual abuse' of student
Tezpur (PTI): The principal of a government school in Assam’s Sonitpur district has been arrested for alleged sexual abuse of a female student, a police officer said on Saturday.
The Class 9 student had alleged that the principal made lewd comments and touched her inappropriately during Saraswati Puja celebrations on January 23.
“The girl confined in her mother, as she was afraid to attend school after the incident. The family members filed a complaint at Missamari police station. Based on it, the principal was arrested on Thursday,” the officer said.
The accused, the principal of Missamari Higher Secondary School, is also the president of the All Assam Higher Secondary Schools Principals’ Association.
An investigation is uderway, he added.
