DAMMAM, 20 February 2004 — Saudi Arabia is set to start issuing tourist visas, saying it is putting the final touches to the tourism visa law proposed by the Supreme Commission for Tourism.
“The new tourism law will see the light within a few weeks,” said Prince Abdul Aziz ibn Fahd ibn Abdullah, deputy secretary-general of the commission for investment and marketing.
Passports Department officials in the Eastern Province confirmed that the new tourist system could be introduced “in several weeks.”
Saudi Arabia currently issues employment, visit, Haj and Umrah visas, which can be difficult to obtain because of red tape.
The tourism sector has for a number of years been calling for a relaxation of the Kingdom’s visa policy to allow thousands of potential tourists from around the world to come here.
The government has stepped up its efforts to promote domestic tourism. Summer festivals in Jeddah, Dammam and elsewhere attract a large number of visitors.
According to Prince Abdul Aziz, the tourism sector contributed some 8.8 percent of the gross domestic product in 2002. The industry will create 1.5 million to 2.3 million new jobs for young Saudis by 2020, he said. However, tourism remains overwhelmingly a domestic affair.
The commission is planning to set up a national council for tourism marketing to promote Saudi Arabia in world markets. “There are more than 10,000 tourist attractions in the Kingdom,” the prince said. The commission expects the Kingdom’s tourist spending to reach SR80 billion by 2020 as against SR35 billion in 2000.
A member of the Eastern Province Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who is also member of the Tourism Committee, said it was imperative for the country to open its doors to foreign tourists. “Foreign tourists will bring huge revenue to the country. It is an untapped sector,” he said on condition of anonymity.
The Eastern Province has the facilities to process tourist visitors quickly and efficiently. On the Bahrain causeway, it takes just seconds to pass through passport control and no more than a couple of minutes at customs.
There are no forms to fill in, unlike at Jeddah or Riyadh airports. People hand over their passports to an official, who checks details on the computer, stamps it and hands it back.
Saudi writers have also called for opening up the Kingdom to foreign tourists. “Foreign tourists would love to enjoy swimming, tanning and water sports in our warm seas in fall and winter, and all-year activities like mountaineering, hiking, car racing, and conferences,” writes Dr. Khaled M. Batarfi of Al-Madinah newspaper.
But others have questioned whether the Kingdom is ready for foreign tourists given red tape as well as the strict gender segregation it enforces
Meanwhile, the Passports Department and the Labor Office in the Eastern Province are functioning normally again after they suspended some services.
