I was told in the Khaleej Times (at https://www.khaleejtimes.com/world/gulf/saudi-arabia-tourist-package-visa-service-pilot-phase) that Saudi Arabia is adding a few options. With ‘Saudi Arabia launches new tourist visa service package for 7 countries’ we are given “Saudi Arabia has launched a new tourist visa package which will allow visitors to obtain a visa as part of a extensive travel bundle, reducing the hassle of planning and booking an entire trip. The service allows tourists to book packages that combine various elements of their trip, including airfare, accommodation at licensed tourist housing, and electronic visa processing, with the option to add experiences, activities, and events.” As I personally see it, the vacation to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, optionally with addition to Qatar could now include an additional long weekend in Riyadh (or Dammam/Jeddah) with options towards the Kingdom Tower, Riyadh City Boulevard and the Grand Mosque, there are plenty of places and they now come as an optional addition. Whilst some go to other places through the worry that Riyadh might not have the options for a long time. We see that Riyadh has plenty to do as an addition. As such that tourist visa package could be the suitor for Saudi Arabia to get tourist traction and it could use that in the big picture of tourism. So as we also see “It is issued electronically within a maximum of 48 hours after the travel package purchase is completed, eliminating the need to visit a Saudi embassy or submit a standalone visa application. By including visa arrangement services within the package, service providers will be offering clients a smoother experience and design more integrated and attractive tourism packages, encouraging visitors to extend their trips.” Beside that we are given “The pilot phase of the program will be subject to specific operational requirements. These include the readiness of digital platforms and the provision of 24/7 technical support and visitor communication services. The ‘Tourist package visa’ service reflects a broader transformation in the sector, which is based on facilitating travel, strengthening partnerships with the private sector, offering more integrated tourism experiences, and opening wider horizons for the world to discover the Kingdom and its diverse destinations. The new service is part of a series of programs and services launched by the country in recent years to facilitate tourist access and enhance their experience, in line with the objectives of Vision 2030.” I reckon that this pilot will start this summer and when it shows the benefits to the tourist traction, it should be implemented in a much wider way. As I see it, Saudi Arabia could use the tourism boost and as tourists are avoiding the United States, these people need to go somewhere. In addition 1 in 5 people are Muslim making Saudi Arabia an optional point of interest and not all are likely to see Saudi Arabia as a vacation Destination, they will see Saudi Arabia as an optional additional location to other places and the most likely location was the UAE, so as I see it, this new visa might be the solution for Saudi Arabia, especially for people who need an additional or alternative location. The fact that this visa could be done in 48 hours after application implies that some of these people can apply whilst they are on vacation. Personally I only see upsides to this setting. Especially for the tourism in Saudi Arabia. Considering that Canada and the UK already have almost 6 million muslims, add to that the 26 million muslims in Europe, there could be a decent uptake of this solution in 2027. I don’t think it is only for Muslims, especially Riyadh. But I think that this category of tourists would have a first interest in seeing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Coming to think of it (me being humorous) you could go to Dammam and see Iran on the other side of the Sea of Dammam (Iranians call it the Persona gulf) and throw stones across the water to Iran. One can only hope that the Saudi population shares my sense of humour. Still as I see it, the addition to the visa package could be the start of a much larger intake of tourists for Saudi Arabia.
As I see it, the Arabian peninsula could be the hottest tourist ticket for 2027/2028, but what do I know. I am not a tourist operator. So you all have a great day, time for me to start making my pasta meal.
Lawrence van Rijn - Law Lord to be 