Visa Free Access to Tourism Sites in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is an Oil rich country and most of the visitors to Saudi Arabia were due to the presence of two Holy sites (Makkah & Madina). Saudi Arabia is planning to shift its focus from Oil earnings and wants to boost its economy through Tourism.

Saudi Arabia is taking one-step ahead in this direction towards tourism and planning to offer VISA-Free access to Tourists only from the US, Europe, Japan and China.

Visa Free Access to Tourism Sites in Saudi Arabia

Which means People who are from US, Europe, Japan & China can visit Saudi Tourist places without getting any VISA or a VISA will be given on arrival in the kingdom (VISA on arrival)

The plan will be finalised in the coming months and announced by the end of the year, official sources were quoted as saying in a section of the press.

The initiative is seen as an important step towards liberalising the economy in keeping with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. It is aimed at raising total tourism spending in the Kingdom — by local citizens as well as foreigners — to $46.6 billion by 2020 from $27.9 billion in 2015, sources said.

Saudi is also gearing towards entertainment and planning to attract foreign visitors through events and activities.

A mega-theme park is being developed, known as Qiddiyah, an hour’s drive from Riyadh. It expects to attract 1.5 million visitors each year when the first phase opens in 2022.

Last month, Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman launched mega tourism projects in the ancient desert city of Al-Ula. According to the Royal Commission for Al-Ula, the projects are set to rake in a $32 billion increase in the GDP, over two million visitors and 38,000 jobs by 2035.