JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism has announced that the kingdom will open its doors to foreign tourists from August 1 following a ban related to the global coronavirus pandemic.
Fully vaccinated tourists can enter the kingdom without the need for an institutional quarantine period, provided that an official vaccination certificate is presented upon arrival, and proof of a PCR test with its negative result within 72 hours from the time of departure, Saudi Press Agency reported.
Visitors are also required to register their data related to vaccination doses via a new electronic portal, in addition to registering their data via the Tawakkalna appl, which is mandatory to enter public places.
Approved vaccinations for entry into Saudi Arabia include two doses of Pfizer, AstraZeneca or Moderna, or one dose of Johnson & Johnson.
Ahmed Al-Khateeb, Minister of Tourism, said in comments published by SPA: “We welcome tourists again, and we are very happy to receive the kingdom’s guests again after a pause due to the repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic.
“We focused our efforts during the pause on close cooperation with our partners in all sectors to ensure a safe return through which visitors to the kingdom can enjoy exploring its tourist treasures, important destinations and landmarks, enjoy unique tourist experiences and learn about the culture of generosity and hospitality characterising Saudi society.”
Saudi Arabia launched the tourist visa in September 2019 and 400,000 visas were issued within six months, before the suspension of travel and the closure of ports and borders following the outbreak of the pandemic.
