Saudi Arabia to announce visa schemes, abolishes abaya rule

Riyadh: Saudi Arabia on Friday will announce new visa scheme for 49 countries across the globe as part of its efforts to boost the Kingdom’s tourism sector.
Kingdom’s appeal to foreign companies The Kingdom has also appealed to foreign companies to invest in a sector it hopes will contribute 10 per cent of gross domestic product by 2030, Gulf News reported.
Meanwhile, in a significant development, the Kingdom’s president of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage, Ahmed Al Khateeb, has said that abayas will not be mandatory for women tourists, including public beaches.
Visas will be available online In addition, visas will be available online for about USD 80 (Dh294), with no restrictions for unaccompanied women as in the past. Access to the Muslim holy cities of Makkah and Medina is restricted.
The details of the new visa schemes will be announced later today during an unveiling ceremony scheduled to take place at Ad Diriyah, a Unesco (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage Site in Riyadh.
Currently, only citizens of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and the UAE can travel freely to the country.