Breaking Travel News spotlight on: Saudi Arabia

New stopover visa marks latest move to open tourism sector

Officials at the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) have unveiled plans to launch a new stopover visa. The free-of-charge option is open to a wider number of countries than the tourism eVisa and is the latest move to make the destination more accessible. The visa will allow passengers to stay in the country for up to 96 hours, enabling more visitors than ever to explore historical, cultural and spiritual sites.

Travellers will also be able to use the stopover visa to perform the spiritual Umrah ritual. Spiritual travellers can book flights through local carriers Saudia and flynas, but must also register for Umrah through the Nusuk platform.

Even more exciting for visitors, stopover visa holders will be eligible for a complimentary onenight hotel stay during the stopover when booking through Saudia.

To help visitors make the most of their stopover, custom 24, 48, 72 and 96-hour itineraries have been developed to inspire visitors to stroll through Al-Balad in Jeddah, or visit the Al-Turaif district in Diriyah, one of the six UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Saudi Arabia. Visitors can also use the stopover visa to break up longhaul flights or book a bonus trip to experience the burgeoning entertainment and seasonal events calendar or even extend a business trip on the way to their final destination.

The stopover visa application will be automatically available through the airline booking platforms for all passengers travelling to their final destination on Saudia or flynas airlines. A stopover can be made through any airport in Saudi. For many, the application process can be completed in under three minutes and can be applied for up to three months before travel.

The stopover visa provides yet another flexible option for visitors to experience the authentic home of Arabia and will contribute to a vision of reaching 100 million visits annually by 2030.

Ahmed Al Khateeb, minister of tourism for Saudi Arabia, said: “The new stopover visa is yet another proof point in our commitment to developing and encouraging growth in the tourism sector. We will continue to work together across government and across the tourism ecosystem as Saudi transforms into a leading global tourism destination.”

Indian Premier League

At the same time, STA has commenced an official partnership with the preeminent Twenty 20 cricket league, the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL). An event to inaugurate the partnership was held in Mumbai, attended by secretary of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Jay Shah, Rajeev Shukla, vice president of the BCCI, and honorary treasurer of the BCCI, Ashish Shelar, along with representatives from the STA, including Alhasan Aldabbagh, president of APAC.

Cricket is one of the most popular sports around the world. Through this partnership, STA aims to tap into a strong fanbase between the two countries, encourage affinity and increase awareness of Saudi as a leading destination for Indian travellers, especially among young people.

With more than half of its population below the age of 30, India shares a similar demographic profile with Saudi Arabia, where 58 per cent of the local population is in the same age group.

IPL is one of the biggest events on the international sporting calendar and the partnership adds to a growing portfolio of global strategic relationships. Partnerships like IPL are a key pillar of the local tourism strategy as they bring fans, athletes and nations together, while sparking curiosity from those that may want to be among the first to visit Saudi as a destination.

Fahd Hamidaddin, chief executive of the Saudi Tourism Authority, said, “India and Saudi share a vibrant youth culture and sport is an ideal platform to engage and inspire young people. Saudi is committed to supporting excellence in the world of sport and inspiring greater participation and improved quality of life among Saudi and global audiences alike.”

More Information

Find out more about visiting Saudi Arabia on the official website at www.visitsaudi.com or head over to Hall 3.2/203