Saudi Arabias decision to stop ?tourist visas draws mixed reaction

Tuesday, Oct 12, 2010

ban applies to Gulf expatriates only and does not affect business visas

Saudi Arabia pulling tourist visa attracts a mixed reaction

Riyadh Saudi Arabia’s decision to stop granting tourist visas may be justified. It does not encompass everyone and therefore may not effect the industry as badly as thought.

It is common for Saudi Arabia to withdraw the tourist visa after the Haj season to make sure visitors don’t stay indefinitely in the country.

“This is the main reason and it also has to do with capacity in the holy cities during peak season and country quotas for Haj. The holy cities are under severe capacity pressure and the ‘stay behind’ phenomenon is a real issue,” Sven Gade, director and head of consulting — PKF The Consulting House, told Gulf News.

He added it was important to keep in mind that the visa ban applies to Gulf expatriates only and does not affect business travel visas.

By Nicole Walter?Senior Reporter