Saudi Arabia’s national carrier, Saudia, is planning to launch a new program that will allow tourists to enter the Kingdom for a period of 96 hours by offering a free four-day visa upon purchasing a ticket. According to local media reports, this new initiative, called the “Your Ticket is a Visa” program, was announced by the company’s spokesman, Abdullah Al-Shahrani.
With this program, tourists will be able to roam around the regions of the Kingdom and perform Umrah, a non-mandatory Islamic pilgrimage, during their stay. The Saudia official did not specify a date for the launch of this visa issuance service.
When a traveler purchases a ticket, they will be asked if they require a visa. If they indicate that they do, they will be directed to fill out a form and complete some procedures, which should not take more than three minutes.
According to Al-Shahrani, the reason for introducing this service is that many Islamic communities want Saudi Arabia to be a stopping point for them, especially the city of Jeddah, to perform the rituals of Umrah, and then continue their journey. The new service will be available at all international airports within the country.
In addition, SAUDIA also plans to increase its international flights by 40% and introduce 500,000 additional seats on its domestic flights this year. The company aims to make it more convenient for tourists to visit the Kingdom and perform Umrah, thus promoting tourism in the country.
Also Read: Step-By-Step Guide To Booking A Saudia Flight Online
