A foreign national travel Visa to the United Arab Emirates will be valid for five years, Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum said Monday on Twitter, part of a campaign to lure holidaymakers to Gulf countries. Previously, travel visas valid for 30 to 90 days.
Gulf nations eager to diversify their economies away from oil have been taking steps to encourage tourism in recent years. Saudi Arabia opened applications for online visas in September, and Qatar scrapped visas altogether for citizens of 80 countries in 2017.
“Economic activity in the U.A.E. has softened in recent years,” said Bilal Khan, senior economist at Standard Chartered Bank in Dubai. Attracting a greater number of visitors over the could help revive demand over the medium-term, particularly after the expected boost from this year’s World Expo in Dubai fades, he added.
