Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH – Authorities have announced issuance of instant e-tourism visa for the visitors of the ongoing 40-day ‘Jeddah Season’ festival. The visa will be issued within three minutes with a condition that the visa applicant shall buy ticket for any one of the events of the festival.

Raed Abu Zinada, general supervisor of the Jeddah Season festival, said that this exceptional initiative will contribute significantly to revitalizing the national tourism sector in general and will support the Jeddah Season festival in particular. “We are pleased with this generous initiative which reflects the keenness of the wise leadership in everything that would improve the tourism sector and their keenness to keep pace with the new development requirements. Today, tourism is a key driver of the national economy and an important component of the economic diversification that the Kingdom is looking forward to achieve,” he said.

Abu Zinada said the visa issuance was linked to the purchase of tickets for any of the events of the festival. “Through the purchase of a ticket, the applicant can obtain tourist visa immediately and within three minutes, by signing in on the portal www.sharek.com.sa after completing some minor procedures through following simple instructions,” he said.

The festival’s organizing committee announced that the launch of e-tourism visa, which specifically targets visitors to the Jeddah Season festival, aims to highlight development opportunities and shed light on the Kingdom’s features as one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations.

The approval of the e-tourism visa comes in an effort to boost the flow of tourists and visitors to Jeddah, the Bride of the Red Sea, and push for the success of the first edition of the Jeddah Season festival, which began June 8 and run through July 18. The festival is featuring wide variety of events and activities targeting various age groups of families and individuals alike in an effort to support the operation and management of the events sector as one of the most vital industries that enriches the economy. It also designed to draw attention to the position of Jeddah as one of the major seafronts with unique features in terms of its seashore, arts, and originality and diversity of its cultures.