Unified GCC tourist visa by end of this year: Qatar Tourism official

QNA

DOHA: Chairperson of Qatar Tourism (QT) Saad bin Ali bin Saad Al Kharji announced that Qatar Tourism intends develop its strategy and regulations to enable the private sector to increase growth in the tourism sector and attract tourists.

Speaking at the “From the Gulf to the World: The Future of Tourism”, session in Qatar Economic Forum 2024, he said that Qatar is currently building on the successes of hosting the “FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022” to develop the tourism sector, noting that the Qatar World Cup played a significant role in telling about the region, its heritage, cultures, and tourist attractions, especially after Qatar hosted this global event.

He pointed out that QT is working to further enhance the large capabilities of the tourism sector in the country through increased local spending, training, and legislations to increase employment, in addition to ensuring a high level of service at all levels to highlight the authentic and unique Gulf hospitality.
He also mentioned the joint cooperation between the GCC countries regarding the unified Gulf tourist visa, saying: “By the end of this year, we may see the unified GCC Visa, which will contribute to increasing the number of visitors to the region.”

Al Kharji affirmed that the tourism sector in the GCC countries is growing rapidly and witnessing an increase in demand, especially given the strong connection between the tourism sector and airlines in the region, which has contributed more to tourist flows.

The Chairperson of Qatar Tourism highlighted the joint cooperation with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, indicating that Qatar Tourism, in cooperation with the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage announced last March the launch of a new promotional campaign titled “Double the Discovery”, aimed at promoting the most prominent attractions and tourist destinations in both countries, allowing international visitors to both countries the opportunity to explore the most prominent tourist attractions, cultural centers, and historical sites in both Qatar and Saudi Arabia, through a single trip.