This year’s, World Tourism Day is one that will remain etched in Saudi‘s history. Wondering why? The country is taking baby steps towards becoming tourist-friendly and made its first and biggest initiatives recently. Marking the World Tourism Day, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia opened doors to tourists who wished to visit the country for more than religious purpose. In addition, the kingdom also announced new visa rules, applicable with immediate effect.
The kingdom of Saudi Arabia can now be on your bucket list, thanks to the country’s new tourist-friendly initiative. Earlier this month, Ahmad Al Khatib, the head of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage, announced that Saudi will open doors for tourists by the end of this year.What’s It?
According to Saudi‘s new rule, tourists can spend up to 90 days in the country and soak in the rich heritage and culture. Furthermore, this can be accomplished with both single-year and multiple-entry visas. The visa-on-arrival service applies to 49 countries including the UK, US, Canada and Australia.
The tourism visa is priced at SAR 440 (AED 431), exclusive of VAT. Tourists can apply online or obtain the visa at electronic kiosks available at the airports.
And that’s not all! Along with the new visa rule, Saudi has also eased dress restrictions for female tourists. According to the new dress code, it is not compulsory for female tourists to wear abayas. However, modest dressing is definitely a must.
Saudi unveiled plans to open doors to tourists in December 2017, but ever since there was little update on this front. Last week, a video supporting the kingdom’s tourism campaign went viral on social media. Previously, tourists visited Saudi only during Hajj or on business-related trips. Tourist visas were restricted to certain groups and it was particularly difficult for single women to visit the country.