Saudi Arabia has announced new instant e-visa options from June 13th, to make it easy for UK, US, and Schengen visa holders, as well as permanent residents of the UK, US, and any EU country, to apply for tourist e-visas to Saudi through Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website.
This marks the latest move by Saudi to facilitate easy traveling to experience real Arabia and support the Kingdom’s ambition to attract 100 million visits annually by 2030.
With 93.5 million in 2022, Saudi Arabia has emerged as one of the world’s top tourist destinations with the fastest growth. This achievement is the result of the exceptional efforts made by Saudi destinations to give tourists unrivaled travel experiences.
Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) has been at the forefront to attract tourists and to accelerate the sector’s growth. Digital transformation efforts by the Saudi government are boosting accessibility and connectivity which is resulting in simplified entry to the country, and enabling visitors to fully enjoy Saudi’s cultural diversity.
The new instant e-visa is among several initiatives that Saudi has launched over the past year to improve the visitor experience.
In 2022, STA introduced the Nusuk platform, Saudi’s first-ever official integrated digital platform, in partnership with the Pilgrim Experience Program. Nusuk offers travelers and pilgrims a simple planning tool for their journeys to Makkah, Madinah, and other destinations.
Saudi Arabia also introduced a new Stopover Visa earlier this year. The visa is free and available to passengers flying on SAUDIA and flynas. It is open to even more nations than the earlier tourism e-visa and will let travelers stay for up to 96 hours.
Saudi Arabia is an underrated travel destination with a rich cultural history and a lot to offer. Travelers can enjoy the high-end stores and exquisite dining of Bujairi Terrace in Diriyah, the birthplace of Saudi Arabia, and can immerse themselves in a living museum preserving more than 200,000 years of human history at the AlUla UNESCO World Heritage site.
Visitors to Jeddah can experience the city’s ancient historical living, Al Balad, and this year, the Red Sea Development, the most ambitious luxury travel destination in the world, will open its first hotels, including a Six Senses, a St. Regis, and a Ritz-Carlton Reserve.
