The trial phase of the Unified GCC Visa is set to be rolled out in the fourth quarter of the year, according to the UAE’s Minister of Economy and Tourism, Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri.
In his interview with Al-Ittihad published on July 21, 2025, the Economy and Tourism minister emphasized that tourism is a key sector for the UAE’s economy, and called it a “fundamental driver of sustainable development” in the country.
Tourism contributes to 13% of the gross domestic product (GDP), and Minister Abdullah expects it to increase to 17% within the next couple of years. According to the Minister, the number of hotel guests grew from 28.08 million in 2023 to 30.75 million in 2024, marking a staggering growth rate of 9.5%.
He pointed out that the volume of investments in the tourism sector has increased from AED 28.8 billion in 2023 to AED 32.2 billion in 2024. He projects that this figure will climb to AED 35.2 billion in 2025.
Minister Abdullah shared that the Unified GCC Tourist visa is a strategic move towards strengthening tourism integration among the Gulf countries and will enhance the attractiveness of the region as a tourism destination.
He highlighted that the pilot launch of the visa is scheduled to take place during the fourth quarter of 2025, in preparation for its full implementation later. The GCC Grand Tours Visa is expected to develop the tourism sector and boost the GDP of the Gulf economies.
