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Travelers from These Countries Will Soon be Allowed Visa-Free Entry in KSA

Travelers from These Countries Will Soon be Allowed Visa-Free Entry in this GCC Nation

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of Saudi Arabia has announced that its national air carriers will now allow entry into the Kingdom for those who hold UK, US and Schengen visas.

According to the announcement, the directive applies to tourist and business visa holders irrespective of nationality, as long as they fulfill two conditions.

Saudi Arabia to Allow Visa-Free Entry to Travelers from Schengen Nations, UK and US

According to a report shared by the Saudi Gazette, the visa must be valid for use in Saudi Arabia from the time of entry to exit. The visa holder’s passport must also be stamped with an entry visa at least once from the country that granted it.

Last year, the GACA had earlier issued a notice instructing national air carriers to receive holders of Schengen and American visas if they want to visit the Kingdom at any time, as long as the conditions set by the authority are met.

Furthermore, the GACA also confirmed the continuation of the trial period at the new Arar Airport. The first Saudi Arabian Airlines flights to and from Riyadh operated successfully from the new terminal on Wednesday (January 1).

The successful start of the trial operation was an exceptional event in the Northern Border Region. It comes as an extension to achieve the objectives of GACA in developing infrastructure and raising the level of services provided to travelers around the Kingdom’s airports. This is one of the methods of contributing to the development process of the region.

Moreover, this can also be taken as a step toward achieving the strategic goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 and keeping with the great development witnessed in the region in all sectors. The new airport will accommodate the increasing growth in demand for air travel by the residents of the region and it will be able to provide complete services for travelers according to the highest international standards.

As a result, the airport will be able to serve many city centers and small towns in the Northern Border Region. The new airport is a qualitative shift in the field of air transport for the region, as it will provide the best technologies and services that will, in turn, contribute to improving the traveler experience, which is in line with the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 that aims at achieving economic development in all regions around the Kingdom.

ALSO READ: 25 Facts First-Time Travellers Should Know About Saudi Arabia

KSA Launches New Visa Policy for Tourists, No Abaya Rule

Saudi Arabia has introduced a new visa program on Friday (September 27), which will benefit at least 49 countries and attract foreign companies to invest in a sector it hopes will contribute 10 percent of gross domestic product by 2030 starting the following day, September 28.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which has been relatively closed off from most parts of the world for several decades already, has in recent years relaxed its strict social codes such as segregating men and women in public places and requiring women to wear all-covering black robes or abayas.

Saudi Introduces New Tourist Visa Policy, No Abaya Rule

According to Saudi’s tourism chief Al Khateeb, abayas will no longer be mandatory for female tourists but they will still be required to wear a modest dress when in the Kingdom especially public places including beaches and marketplaces, as shared in a report by the Khaleej Times.

Khateeb clarified that certain restrictions still remain in place such as the ban on alcoholic drinks and products. He noted, “We will have enough tourists to come to Saudi Arabia to enjoy other things.”

Of note, visas may be applied for online for about USD 80 (AED 294; SAR 300), with no restrictions for unaccompanied women as in the past. Access to the Muslim holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, however, is restricted.

While details as to which countries will be eligible for the new visa scheme, Khateeb shared that China, Japan, Europe, and the United States were among the top outbound targets.

To date, foreigners traveling to Saudi Arabia have been largely restricted to resident workers and their dependents, business travelers, and Muslim pilgrims who are given special visas to visit Makkah and Medina.

Plans to admit a large number of leisure tourists have been discussed for years, only to be blocked by conservative opinion and bureaucracy.

In relation to the new plan, an e-visa for sporting events and concerts has been introduced last December.

According to authorities, the move is part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s ambitious plans to develop new industries to wean the world’s top oil exporter off crude and open up society including by introducing previously banned entertainment. For which, most of his reforms have been welcomed with much international praise and support.

Furthermore, with the kingdom’s positive reforms encouraging more traffic and visitors into the country – Saudi aims to at least add 1 million tourism jobs in the near future. However, at this point in time, getting hundreds of thousands of Saudis into the workforce remains a major challenge for the crown prince.

ALSO READ: Here’s What to Expect on Your Visit to Saudi Arabia

Saudi Celebrates National Day with Fireworks, Concerts, & Cultural Shows

Saudi Celebrates National Day with Fireworks, Concerts, & Art Exhibits

As the Kingdom celebrated its 89^th National Day last September 23, fireworks show, concerts, and cultural events were hosted by the government in cooperation with relevant departments.

As part of its 89^th anniversary as a Kingdom, the government has aired plans to arrange several seasons for a tourist attraction to align with its economic plan under the Saudi Vision 2030 to diversify the country’s economy.

Concerts, Fireworks, & Cultural Activities Banner Saudi National Day Celebration

Accordingly, the Kingdom has created drafts for 11 different seasons for this year. Among these is the season of National celebration, which transformed the Kingdom to an entertainment hub from September 19 to 23, as shared in a report by Al Arabiya English.

For the festive season, the kingdom’s General Entertainment Authority (GEA) has organized over 70 different events across various regions of Saudi Arabia to celebrate the period with passion and patriotism.

Of note, the slogan for the event according to Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman was “Himma Hatta al-Qimma” which means strength until the end, by which the Crown Prince likened Saudi’s strength to the Tuwaiq Mountain near Riyadh.

Moreover, the kingdom also observed a four-day holiday starting September 19 to 23 in both the public and private sectors.

As part of the celebrations, huge fireworks were launched during this period, and a firework show was also hosted in Jeddah at the AL-Hamra Corniche and in other cities which will be accompanied with sounds, music, lighting, as well as a laser show.

Furthermore, as part of the 5-day Dhahran exhibition, an international show, especially organized for the National Day, was presented by the world’s largest theatrical producer “Cirque du Soleil”.

There were also various concerts staged by local and international singers throughout the country during the 5-day period.

And finally, inspirational forums were also held by the nation’s leaders to inspire the people and to give them hope through their words and experiences.

For his part, Amr Banaja of the GEA expressed his gratitude to the security authorities for their efforts to make the season a success, as well as to all government, private, and non-profit sectors, for their commitment to this initiative.

Following this period, the Kingdom will next observe the Riyadh Season, which will bring 14 international star acts and an array of exclusive shows to the country’s capital, starting next month.

Meanwhile, nationals and friends of Saudi Arabia from all over the world have expressed their delight and unity via social media as the Kingdom celebrates its 89th anniversary as a unified power in the Middle East.

ALSO READ: Saudi Arabia Launches World’s First Flowerman Festival

Saudi Government Rejects Need to Accept Foreign Consultancy Firms

Government departments and agencies in the Kingdom have been forbidden to use the services of foreign consultancy firms as per instruction from the national government.

The royal order issued concerning this, states that contracts can only be signed off with foreign consultancy companies only when there is no Saudi alternative available.

Saudi Limits Need to Hire Consultancy Services from Foreign Firms

The decree was based on a ruling upheld by the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers, following recommendations by its Experts’ Committee, as shared in a report by the Saudi Gazette.

According to the report, previous discussions by the Shoura Council had taken place with regard to government agencies and foreign companies, with a recommendation to provide more consultancy work for Saudi firms.

The resolution aims to tap into the capabilities of local firms, highlighting the opportunity given to citizens to create their mark in the industry they are involved with.

Under the order, all the government departments and agencies are obliged to sign contracts with only experienced Saudi consultancy offices and companies.

At that time, the value of contracts awarded to foreign firms was estimated to be around SAR 12 billion ($3.2bn) based on a report by the General Auditing Bureau.

The decree was based on a decision of the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers as part of integrating the recommendations of its Experts’ Committee, which examined the subject.

The report came after conducting a thorough review of the foreign consultancy contracts of the government agencies during the past financial years.

The deliberations prompted Shoura members to call on the authorities to take measures to provide consultancy services for the Saudi firms.

The members of the council noted that there are dozens of national research centers operating under the umbrella of universities or the private sector that can take advantage of this core activity involving huge amounts of money.

The hope is that national research centers based in universities or the private sector can take advantage of the new order.

With this change, more opportunities are now being offered to Saudi nationals to maximize their skills, talents, and expertise to help improve their respective industries as well as the overall economy.

It should be noted, though, that government agencies and companies may still avail services of foreign consultancy firms when there is no Saudi alternative to offer this service in a particular field or industry.

ALSO READ: Here are the Booming Job Sectors in UAE, Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia to Integrate Smart Technology on Bus Services

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia placed an order for a smart technology system from Japanese giant NEC to cover 400 buses starting next year and an additional 2,000 after five years.

Japan-based information tech giant NEC revealed that it has established a tie-up with the kingdom for the implementation of the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS).

Saudi to Introduce Smart Buses Soon

According to NEC, The ITS offers an accurate scheduling service and an automated fare collection system, which utilizes IC cards to support cashless, accurate and reliable fare collection, as well as a bus location management via GPS, as shared in a report by Arabian Business.

The initiative aims to improve transportation services for pilgrims in Makkah.

Also, the smart system provides bus information to passengers through solar-powered displays installed at bus stops and mobile applications.

The system will be applied on 400 buses starting next year, with a plan to increase the number to 2,000 in the next five years.

According to Saudi Transport Minister Nabil al-Amoudi, “7,400 planes full of pilgrims arrived this year via Jeddah and Madinah airports” and “more than 18,000 buses were mobilized” for the hajj.

Meanwhile, transport needs to be organized for the sites around Makkah.

Every year, around two million Muslims travel to Saudi Arabia during September visit Islam’s holiest places, Makkah and Medina.

Prior to this, hajj was simply a traditional ritual observed by Muslims, but today, it has also risen to prominence as a tourism destination because of the evolution of facilities over the years.

Because of this, the hajj has now become the main tourism prospect for both national and international stakeholders, mainly tour operators and hotel groups.

As part of Saudi Arabia’s support in this growing industry, the government has shown commitment by investing in hotels and preserving ancient religious sites.

Apart from the growing influx of international pilgrims from countries with large Muslim populations, domestic pilgrims have also provided a steady source of tourism revenue from this religious event.

Of note, international pilgrims come from countries such as India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Morocco, and Algeria.

As the government continues to throw its support on one of the region’s biggest international events, more initiatives geared on improving the services related to the observance of hajj such as those in the transport, retail, and hotel industries are starting to adopt smart technology to improve the pilgrims’ overall hajj experience.

ALSO READ: [VIDEO] Here’s How Muslims Celebrated Eid on Final Days of Hajj in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia Launches World’s First Flowerman Festival

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture observes the celebration of the world’s first Flowerman Festival held in Rijal Almaa Village in Asir region in line with the kingdom’s vision to promote its culture and tourism.

The festival, which began on August 12 and will run until August 31, was organized and launched by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture (MOC). The celebration observes the traditional wear of the Qahtani tribe—one of the world’s oldest social groups—from the mountainous remote town Habala in Southern Saudi.

World’s First Flowerman Festival Celebrated in Saudi Arabia

The festival, as per the Ministry of Culture, highlights the kingdom’s heritage which dates back to the 1950s – when everyone was deeply in touch with nature. The locals used to gather flowers and herbs to create floral crowns, which the people believed bring good health to those who wear them.

Today, the locals from the region uphold and share this tradition with the rest of the world by wearing the garlands in their daily lives – no matter their profession, gender, or status in life.

Through this festival, the Ministry of Culture also aims to provide an immersive experience through a live-open air museum in the festival to capture the imagination and appeal to the senses of visitors.

There will also be live folk performances, art and poetry nights, video-mapping performances, light shows, interactive displays, and heritage markets all throughout this period.

The Flowerman Festival is just one of the initiatives of the Kingdom to rehabilitate and to promote its cultural villages, an in effect, develop them into international tourism destinations.

In line with this, the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities recently spearheaded a rehabilitation project for Rijal Almaa Village in Asir—with the goal of pushing it to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

According to the agency’s website, the development of a variety of cultural venues—such as libraries, arts and museums—as well as entertainment possibilities to suit tastes and preferences of visitors are among the projects that they are eyeing to maximize Saudi Arabia’s economy and will result in the creation of many job opportunities.

The Saudi Vision 2030 aims to further boost tourism in the kingdom and uphold its rich cultural diversity, by supporting the efforts of regions and non-profit and private sectors to organize such cultural events.

To know more about the Flowerman Festival and to get more information regarding the programs of the ministry, you can check out their official website.

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[VIDEO] Here’s How Muslims Celebrated Eid on Final Days of Haj in Saudi Arabia

[VIDEO] Here’s how Muslims Celebrated Eid on the Final Days of Haj in Saudi Arabia

This year, there were close to 2.5 million pilgrims who took part in a symbolic stoning of the devil in the final days of the Haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia as Muslims around the world marked the start of the Eid Al Adha celebrations.

The symbolic act was performed by pilgrims in Mina by throwing pebbles at a pillar in a symbolic casting away of evil during the final days of Haj.

[WATCH] Muslims Celebrate Eid on Last Days of Haj in Saudi Arabia

Muslims around the world commemorated the end of Haj with Eid celebrations, including distributing food to the poor.

Owing to the Kingdom’s reputation as the cradle of Islam, and the guardianship of Islam’s holiest sites, in Mecca and Medina, and organizing the world’s largest annual Muslim gathering which retraces the route Prophet Mohammad took 14 centuries ago, Saudi Arabia deployed tens of thousands of security forces and medics alongside modern technology including surveillance drones to maintain order.

منى تستقبل ضيوف الرحمن مهللين مكبرين لرمي جمرة العقبة.#العالم_في_قلب_المملكة #فيديو_واس #واس_في_الحج #واس pic.twitter.com/co650P1Jk0

— واس (@spagov) August 11, 2019

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The arrival of nearly two and a half million pilgrims, mostly from abroad, is part of the religious duty once in a lifetime for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it.

The people are asked to carefully follow and observe schedules for each stage of Haj, but with so many people, panic is a constant danger.

#فيديو_واس | حجاج بيت الله الحرام يرمون جمرة العقبة يوم النحر. #العالم_في_قلب_المملكة #واس_في_الحج #حج1440 #واس pic.twitter.com/w8pTaAqFs1

— واس (@spagov) August 11, 2019

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Under close supervision and dressed in white garments signifying a state of purity, the faithful converged on Jamarat to perform the stoning ritual from a three-storey bridge erected to ease congestion after stampedes in previous years.

The pilgrims will then return to the bridge over the final two days for more stoning before returning to Mecca to pray at the Grand Mosque at the end of Haj.

The Haj and year-round Umrah create billions of dollars in revenue from pilgrims’ lodging, transport, fees, and gifts.

The authorities aim to increase the number of Umrah and Haj pilgrims to 15 million and 5 million respectively by 2020 and hope to double the Umrah number again to 30 million by 2030.

Similarly, Muslims from all over the world observe the Eid Al Adha – the annual Feast of the Sacrifice. Hundreds attend a morning prayer gathering at mosques. The holiday commemorates Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son to God and marks the end of the Haj pilgrimage to Mecca.

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Saudi Imposes New Rules for Female Workers in the Kingdom

Following the news of the Kingdom allowing women to travel abroad without approval from a male guardian, a number of other momentous decisions regarding women have also come about to support women’s rights.

The new set of rules aims to treat male and female workers in the country at an equal level. In accordance to this, both men and women will now be considered as workers/people working for an employer and under his or her management and supervision in return for a wage, even if they are not within sight.

Saudi Arabia Passes New Rules for Women in the Workforce

According to a report in the Saudi Gazette, the Ministry of Labour and Social Development in Saudi Arabia, through the amendment in the labour regulation will not allow the employers and ruling entities to discriminate between workers on the basis of their age, disability and gender.

This rule also extends to hiring people for jobs and advertising vacancies for employment.

Furthermore, Saudi officials have also nullified the retirement age rule- 60 years for men and 55 years for women. The authority, this time, has provided that the retirement of the workers would be in tandem with the requirements of the social insurance rules and regulations.

In addition to this, the regulations also forbid the employers from terminating the services of female employees or issuing them the notices of dismissal from their jobs, while they are on their maternity leaves. Female employees also cannot be issued any kind of warning letters or get terminated in case they fall ill due to pregnancy-induced conditions or a health concern at the time of delivery.

However, the illness must be attested, by means of securing an authentic medical report and the employee’s absence from work should not be over 180 days- whether continuous or intermittent.

The rule which now allows Saudi women to travel abroad without approval from a male guardian was met with jubilation and much support on social media, gaining traction with the hashtag, “No guardianship over women travel”.

The said reform grants women greater autonomy and mobility, and has been described by media outlets as “one giant leap for Saudi women”.

Things are really turning for the better for Saudi women in the last two years or so, as observed by international human rights advocates, but still there is more to be done – and this is just the start.

ALSO READ: Over 450 Female Drivers Hired in Saudi Arabia in Q1 of 2019

Saudi Women Hails New Reform for Personal ‘Freedom’

In a series of major government reforms passed in recent years, things are looking more hopeful for the women in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as a new rule announced on Friday (August 2), now allows women over the age of 21 to apply for a passport without authorisation, putting them on an equal footing to men.

In line with this, the new rule also gives women the right to register births, marriage or divorce. The amendment according to citizens allows women to enjoy travelling independently just “like all citizens”.

Saudi Women Welcomes New ‘Freedom’ through Passing of New Law

The kingdom, in recent time, has eased other long-standing social restrictions on women, though campaigners are convinced that plenty more remains to be done for women’s rights, as shared in a report by the Khaleej Times.

According to Leila Almaeena, Saudi national and a leadership coach based in Dubai, the decision did not come as a surprise to her since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has taken charge under the guidance of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia.

Almaeena shared, “They have truly raised the status of Saudi women and the historic changes they have brought about in such a less time have empowered us to reach international levels. From all the fantastic changes that we have been experiencing for the past year or so, I knew this was in the works. It was a natural progression I feel.”

But more than Saudi women living outside the country, Almaeena noted that it would help the women living in conservative families in the kingdom, who have not yet experienced freedom of being independent without their male guardians.

The kingdom has increasingly come under the microscope over its treatment of its female citizens, an issue highlighted by several high-profile cases of Saudi women seeking asylum overseas.

In the past, women had to gain approval from a male guardian in order to obtain a passport. Women who did not have a passport of their own were instead given a page in their male guardians’ passports – making it impossible for them to travel without a guardian, whenever they want to.

Alongside this important new rule, other changes now allow women to register a marriage, divorce or child’s birth and to be issued official family documents. The new rule also stipulates that a father or mother can be legal guardians of children.

ALSO READ: Saudi Fund Invests on Women Empowerment in Kingdom

Saudi Nationals Express Interest in Learning Korean Language

As unique and conservative as Saudi culture is, there’s no doubt that the international media is a force to be reckoned with, because cultural influences from other parts of the world such as South Korea have now reached the Kingdom and is becoming a popular topic among nationals.

This is certainly a welcome trend because as countries become more known internationally, the reason to learn more about their culture now makes sense, and this includes the country’s language. And gaining a new skill such as a communicating a new language is such a great idea not only for Saudis, but even for other nationalities as this will open more opportunities for them personally and professionally.

Korean Language ‘Hangeul’ Draws Interest from Saudi Nationals

In line with this, as the massive popularity of Korean culture has now reached a variety of audience all over the world and even in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, spawning interest in the Korean language as an appealing language to learn, many Saudis are joining the growing crowd of enthusiasts, as shared in a report by the Arab News.

There is a number of reasons why Saudis want to learn Korean: to enjoy watching their favourite shows in the original language; to visit and experience the culture of Korea personally; or even to move to South Korea in the future.

According to Korean language instructor Myung Hee Park from the Korean International School in Jeddah, most of her students loved K-pop and Korean dramas, and they wanted to expand their knowledge by learning the language.

People from all over the Kingdom are traveling to Korea to attend concerts and to see their favourite artists perform live.

Myung shared, “Lots of the people who come to learn from me have an experience of visiting Korea and enjoying concerts by artists such as BTS, Monsta X or SM Town.”

Of note, Saudi’s appreciation of Korea does not stop at entertainment, as some of Myung’s students have expressed interest in studying in South Korea, as well.

In November of last year, 51 people participated in the first Ambassador’s Cup Korean Speech competition, held at the official residence of the South Korean ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Jo Byung-wook. The competition was organized to promote the country’s culture, language and heritage.

According to the Korean ambassador, “The growing interest in learning the Korean language in Saudi Arabia shows the strength of our bilateral relations.”

He also pointed out that Korean is the 20th most spoken language in the world, and is gaining popularity as the second foreign language across Asia, the US and even the Middle East.

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