UAE BARQ برق الإمارات – نبضك
Saudi Arabia threw open its doors to foreign tourists on Friday, launching a new visa regime for 49 countries and appealing to foreign companies to invest in a sector it hopes will contribute 10 per cent of gross domestic product by 2030.
The Muslim kingdom, relatively closed off for decades, has in recent years relaxed strict social codes, like segregating men and women in public places and requiring women to wear all-covering black robes, or abayas.
Tourism chief Ahmed Al Khateeb told Reuters in an interview ahead of the official announcement that abayas will not be mandatory for women tourists but modest dress is, including at public beaches.
He indicated that alcohol remains banned: “We will have enough tourists to come to Saudi Arabia to enjoy other things.”
Visas will be available online for about $80 (Dh294; SR300), with no restrictions for unaccompanied women as in the past. Access to the Muslim holy cities of Makkah and Madinah is restricted.
The following 49 countries will be eligible to apply for e-visas and visas on arrival:
- USA
- Canada
- Kazakhstan
- Singapore
- Brunei
- New Zealand
- South Korea
- Japan
- Spain
- Belgium
- Malaysia
- Austria
- Cyprus
- UK
- Croatia
- Estonia
- Andorra
- Denmark
- Germany
- Bulgaria
- France
- Hungary
- Czech Republic
- Holland
- Italy
- Finland
- Ireland
- Lithuania
- Greece
- Liechtenstein
- Monaco
- Iceland
- Malta
- Poland
- Latvia
- Norway
- Russia
- Luxembourg
- Romania
- Slovenia
- Montenegro
- Slovakia
- Switzerland
- Portugal
- Sweden
- Australia
- San Marino
- Ukraine
- China, including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan
