UAE Wants to Include Foreign Residents in Gulf-Countries’ Visa-Free System

 The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is composed of six member nations: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Citizens of these countries have the privilege of traveling across GCC borders without requiring visa applications. However, foreign residents, who constitute a significant portion of the population and come from various parts of the world, are still required to obtain visas when crossing GCC borders. As reported by local media, UAE's Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and SMEs, Ahmad Al Marri, emphasized the importance of introducing visa-free travel for residents within the GCC member states. This policy aims to enhance the region's appeal and stimulate tourism by allowing easier mobility for foreign residents. The initiative reflects the commitment of Middle Eastern countries, especially the six-member GCC economic bloc, to boost and diversify their tourism sector. This strategic objective serves to reduce their reliance on oil revenues and promote the creation of a more robust and diversified economy.

Minister Al Marri noted that the COVID-19 pandemic posed significant challenges to the UAE's tourism industry but also presented an opportunity to review the existing strategy and develop a forward-looking plan. According to data from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the tourism sector is expected to make a substantial contribution to the UAE's economy, estimated at AED 180.6 billion. This figure closely aligns with the 2019 level when the tourism sector contributed AED 183.4 billion to the country's economy, signifying that the industry in 2023 is only 1.5 percent below pre-pandemic levels. The WTTC also predicts that the tourism sector will generate almost 7,000 jobs in the UAE this year, surpassing the peak employment of 745,100 observed in 2019, with a workforce of over 758,000 employees.