Kochi: As a single visa system will be implemented to travel to Saudi Arabia and UAE, new opportunities will open up for Kerala. The external affairs ministry of both the countries have hinted that it will be put to practise from next year.
With this, tourists coming to Saudi Arabia can travel to UAE and vice versa using a single visa. This will be useful for religious trips such as Umrah.
The main attraction of this policy is reduction in travel costs. Looking for jobs will also be much easier compared to the past. The laws and conditions pertaining to travelling to Saudi Arabia is also expected to be relaxed.
The recently implemented tourist visa scheme in Saudi Arabia was a huge success. According to statistics, more than 24,000 people have visited the country after the new tourist visa scheme was implemented.
The new law enabling tourist visa holders to take part in Umrah will also benefit Keralites. Earlier, only those who had Hajj- Umrah visa were allowed to participate in Umrah