As part of bolstering tourism, Saudi Arabia has opened new e-visa access for Indians. Saudi Arabia has been introducing several initiatives to make it a tourism hotspot in the Middle East. The Saudi Tourism Authority has announced that Indian passport holders with valid visas for the United Kingdom, the United States, or Schengen countries, which have been utilized at least once, can now use Saudi e-visa.
To woo more tourists from across the globe, Saudi has also introduced a 96-hour stopover visa to enable tourists to explore the country during layovers. Furthermore, nine VFS Tasheel Visa offices have been established across India to simplify visa services. This move will captivate Indians who are planning to visit Saudi to relish its culture, heritage, and tourist attractions. India is one of the fastest-growing markets for Saudi Arabia, with one million Indians visiting the country every year.
Saudi Arabia aims to have 12 million visitors from India by 2030. They are also collaborating with the Tata Indian Premier League (IPL) to create customized strategies that lure Indian tourists. Additionally, the number of direct flights from Saudi to India has recently risen from 243 to 290, endorsing the country’s endeavors to improve connectivity with India. Saudi Arabia is striving to reposition itself from a pilgrim destination to a tourism hotspot. The introduction of e-visas, coupled with other government initiatives, can significantly impact the influx of Indian tourists to Saudi Arabia.
