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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/raymond_khoury_partner_head_technology_innovation_management_practice_arthur_d._little_middle_east.j.jpeg\")
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\n\t\t\tRaymond Khoury, partner and head of technology and innovation management practice at Arthur D. Little Middle East. (Supplied) <\/p>\n
\n\tRIYADH: Two years after its initial approval, the Gulf Cooperation Council\u2019s long-awaited unified visa has entered its final approval phase \u00a0\u2014 and Saudi Arabia is positioned to emerge as its biggest winner, experts told Arab News.<\/p>\n
\n\tThe new permit, which will allow seamless travel across all six Gulf states, promises to revolutionize regional tourism and business mobility.<\/p>\n
\n\tBut while the entire bloc stands to benefit, the Kingdom\u2019s unique advantages \u2014 from its booming religious tourism sector to its aggressive Vision 2030 economic reforms \u2014 could make it the visa\u2019s prime beneficiary.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tFirst proposed in 2023 and officially approved last year, the unified GCC visa will enable travelers to move freely between Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE under a single permit.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tGCC Secretary General Jassem Al-Budaiwi confirmed earlier in September that the visa is in its final stages, marking a major leap toward a Schengen-style system for the Gulf.<\/p>\n
\n\tFor Saudi Arabia, the timing couldn\u2019t be better. The Kingdom has been expanding its tourism infrastructure as part of Vision 2030, with mega-projects such as Neom, the Red Sea resorts, and AlUla\u2019s cultural oasis.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tThe new visa will amplify these efforts by making it easier for travelers to combine Saudi stops with visits to Dubai\u2019s luxury hubs and Qatar\u2019s cultural landmarks \u2014 turning the Gulf into a multi-destination hotspot.<\/p>\n
\n\tSaudi Arabia\u2019s strategic edge\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tSaudi Arabia has a strong religious tourism base. As home to Islam\u2019s two holiest sites in Makkah and Madinah, the Kingdom already hosts millions of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims each year. The unified visa creates an opportunity to extend their stays and attract them to explore Saudi Arabia\u2019s growing cultural and leisure offerings.<\/p>\n
\n\tIn an interview with Arab News, Raymond Khoury, partner and head of technology and innovation management practice at Arthur D. Little Middle East, said: \u201cThe GCC unified visa system offers to enhance the experiences of these visitors by encouraging longer stays and facilitating travel to other cultural and historical sites, such as AlUla, Neom, and Diriyah to name a few.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\tRaymond Khoury, partner and head of technology and innovation management practice at Arthur D. Little Middle East. (Supplied)
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\n\tHe added: \u201cMajor airports such as Riyadh and Jeddah can serve as transit hubs offering short-stay cultural excursions to nearby sites like Diriyah or Qiddiya. The Kingdom can also promote multi-country itineraries \u2014 such as Jeddah to AlUla to Dubai or Muscat \u2014 using regional rail and low-cost air travel.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tThe unified visa comes at a pivotal moment in Saudi Arabia\u2019s Vision 2030 tourism drive, aligning with the goal of attracting 150 million visitors a year by 2030.<\/p>\n
\n\tVijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial, told Arab News: \u201cThe Kingdom\u2019s exceptional scale of tourism infrastructure, advanced digital and visa capabilities, and a calendar of globally recognized events collectively provide it with a competitive edge over its regional peers.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tHe cited the \u201cmarquee events\u201d of Formula 1 in Jeddah, Riyadh Season, and the Asian Winter Games in Trojena, as elevating the Kingdom\u2019s global profile.<\/p>\n
\n\tKhoury added that the unified visa is expected to accelerate Saudi Arabia\u2019s tourism and business diversification goals by attracting a larger number of international visitors. This would help fast-track the target of 150 million annual visits by 2030.<\/p>\n
\n\tHe noted that as traveling between various Gulf nations became easier, Saudi Arabia would likely capture a greater share of regional tourism, positively impacting non-oil revenue growth.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tGeographic primacy as a regional hub is rooted in Saudi Arabia\u2019s central location in the Arabian Peninsula and its extensive land borders with multiple GCC states, making it the natural nexus for regional travel itineraries.<\/p>\n
\n\tKhoury said: \u201cCombined with its diversified offerings \u2014 from religious and cultural tourism to futuristic mega-developments \u2014 the Kingdom is set to gain the most from increased regional mobility and multi-country travel enabled by the GCC unified visa.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tValecha noted that Saudi Arabia\u2019s strategic location enhanced its connectivity to the GCC and the Middle East and North Africa regions, being bordered by the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and the Red Sea \u2014 serving as a vital link to Egypt and Africa.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThus, KSA is well-positioned to capitalize on the GCC Unified Visa by serving as an indispensable connector between critical trade locations, tourism magnets, and other strategically significant destinations in the region,\u201d Valecha added.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tInfrastructure boost<\/p>\n
\n\tThe successful implementation of the unified visa\u2019s potential requires substantial infrastructure development, and Saudi Arabia is making unprecedented investments in this area.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThe unified visa is expected to accelerate flagship initiatives such as the GCC Railway, smart borders, and regional transport corridors. The aviation sector will play a central role in enhancing KSA\u2019s hub status,\u201d said Valecha.<\/p>\n
\n\tHe added that King Salman International Airport aims to attract 120 million passengers by 2030. He also noted that Riyadh Air\u2019s first commercial flight is set to launch this year, and maintaining high-frequency connections to major GCC hubs will be key to facilitating cross-border travel.<\/p>\n
\n\tKhoury said: \u201cCritical infrastructure developments, such as enhanced aviation networks and rail systems, within the Kingdom and across the GCC, will be essential for capitalizing on this opportunity, allowing seamless travel between major locations.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tHe added: \u201cThis includes developing Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam airports into regional connectors, launching Riyadh Air in 2025, and enhancing low-cost carrier networks to support short-haul intra-GCC travel.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tKhoury stated that completing the GCC Railway and connecting it with domestic lines such as Haramain and Saudi Arabia Railways would enable seamless land mobility across the Kingdom and Gulf states.<\/p>\n
\n\tEconomic ripple effects\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tThe implementation of the unified visa is expected to create widespread economic benefits extending far beyond the tourism sector.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThe tourism and hospitality sector is poised to witness significant growth due to heightened demand across hotels, transportation, and dining, boosting occupancy rates and spending per visitor,\u201d Valecha said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/vijay_valecha_chief_investment_officer_century_fianancial_0.jpg\")
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\n\t\t\tVijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. (Supplied)
<\/p>\n
\n\tHe noted that the new visa would directly boost international arrivals, citing a UN Tourism report showing Saudi Arabia\u2019s 102 percent increase in the first quarter of 2025 in tourist arrivals compared to 2019.<\/p>\n
\n\tKhoury added: \u201cBeyond hospitality, sectors like logistics and entertainment stand to benefit significantly. The anticipated spike in travel will lead to increased demand for hotel capacity and mid-tier accommodations in key Saudi cities.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tHe added that Saudi airlines and regional transport networks would likely expand routes and frequency, improving domestic and regional connectivity.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tThe ADL official also noted that integrated travel platforms, covering bookings, visas, and itinerary planning, would create opportunities for tech innovation, highlighting potential growth in experience-based tourism, with rising demand for curated cultural, wellness, adventure, and religious-leisure packages.<\/p>\n
\n\tStrategic business opportunities\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tThe unified visa presents numerous opportunities for investors and businesses positioned to capitalize on the expected surge in regional travel.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tValecha noted the visa reforms would ease business travel for multinationals across GCC states, boosting trade and regional logistics.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThe faster mobility of residents and nationals within the region would be conducive for business travel, significantly promoting the ease of doing business of GCC states globally,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\n\tKhoury emphasized the strategic implications, noting that businesses that deliver \u201cseamless, cross-border offerings\u201d will be best positioned to lead in this new era of regional tourism integration.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cAdditionally, the unified visa can significantly advance the Kingdom\u2019s broader strategic ambitions over the next decade by enhancing talent mobility, regional economic integration, and soft power positioning.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tHe added that the visa would attract global professionals, easing cross-border recruitment of skilled talent for key sectors like tech, healthcare and finance, directly supporting Saudi Arabia\u2019s Vision 2030 goals to become a regional innovation hub.<\/p>\n
\n\tLong-term implications<\/p>\n
\n\tThe unified visa\u2019s impact may extend well beyond immediate tourism and business benefits, potentially reshaping the Gulf\u2019s geopolitical and economic landscape.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tOn the economic front, Khoury explained, smoother cross-border access will facilitate trade, joint ventures, and supply chain integration, especially in logistics, manufacturing, and small and medium-sized enterprises, reinforcing the Kingdom\u2019s push to lead in varied and resilient regional manufacturing and supply frameworks.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cPolitically, Saudi Arabia can strengthen its geopolitical influence by positioning itself as the central node of a more interconnected, mobile, and economically unified Gulf \u2014 further amplifying its leadership in regional policy, investment flows, and digital infrastructure alignment,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\n\tAs the GCC unified visa moves from concept to reality, Saudi Arabia stands at the threshold of a transformative opportunity to cement its position as the Gulf\u2019s premier tourism and business hub.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tWith its unique combination of religious significance, geographic centrality, and visionary economic planning, the Kingdom is uniquely positioned to emerge as the primary beneficiary of this historic regional integration initiative.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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