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Saudi Arabia eliminated one other coronavirus-related journey measure right this moment.
Holders of visas for the US, the UK and the Schengen space in Europe can obtain a 12-month visa on arrival upon coming into the dominion. The measure applies to vacationers flying to Saudi Arabia by way of certainly one of its nationwide airways — Saudia, Flynas or Flyadeal — the official Saudi Press Company reported. This rule had been suspended till right this moment as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.
“Restoring the visa-on-arrival program marks the ultimate step in returning Saudi Arabia to a pre-pandemic stage of openness and makes it one of the vital accessible locations on the planet for leisure, enterprise and non secular journey,” stated Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khateeb.
Why it issues: In 2019, Saudi Arabia eased its entry necessities considerably with the aim of creating the dominion as simply accessible as different vacationer spots within the area, resembling Dubai. Saudi authorities allowed residents of the US, the European Union, China, Japan and different financial powers to enter with out a visa.
Nevertheless, Saudi Arabia closed its borders in 2020 in response to the coronavirus.
The dominion steadily eased restrictions all through 2021, first resuming worldwide flights after which permitting vaccinated residents to journey overseas. Nevertheless, they instituted extra journey bans in December as a result of emergence of the Omicron variant.
On March 6, Saudi Arabia eliminated its vaccination, quarantine and testing necessities to enter, and likewise scrapped the pink record of banned nations.
Virus-related measures had a severely unfavourable impact on the Saudi economic system.
The visa on arrival for holders of American and European visas permits residents of third nations to enter Saudi Arabia extra simply, since they’ve already been accredited for journey to the US and the EU.
In the present day’s choice comes as Saudi Arabia seeks to spice up tourism. In February, Emirates airways signed an settlement with the Saudi Tourism Authority to spice up tourism to the dominion.
The virus state of affairs: Saudi Arabia is barely averaging about 100 instances and two deaths a day resulting from COVID-19. Saudi Arabia’s inhabitants is round 35 million.
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