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Metropolis Desk-
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has stated that Saudi nationals may issue “personal visit visas” to invite their Muslim friends from overseas to conduct Umrah in the Kingdom.
The ministry stated in a tweet on Thursday that personal visas can be applied for online and come in single-entry or multiple-entry varieties. Along with visiting the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah and conducting Umrah procedures at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, tourists can also take excursions to other popular tourist spots in the Kingdom.
Through the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa application system, applicants can request a personal visit visa. A multiple-entry visa is good for one year, but a single-entry visa is only good for 90 days. With each visit, a visitor with a multiple-entry visa is permitted to stay in the Kingdom for up to 90 days.
The Two Holy Mosques’ presidency declared on Friday that it was prepared to welcome the first worshipers of the current Umrah season. To give Hajj pilgrims time to return home and prevent crowding in the holy sites and airports, the Umrah pilgrimage is scheduled to begin at least a few weeks after Hajj.
As part of the Saudi Vision 2030 strategic plan, which was unveiled in 2016, Saudi Arabia has opened its historical sites and other cultural destinations and is developing its tourism business.
By developing and expanding into new businesses and areas, the program seeks to lessen the Kingdom’s reliance on oil exports and diversify its economy.
To achieve its goals, the Kingdom wants to attract 100 million tourists by the year 2030. According to the strategy, the tourist sector will generate income for the economy while also adding more than 1 million jobs to the nation’s expanding labor force.
The number of pilgrims is anticipated to increase significantly in the holy towns of Makkah and Madinah, reaching 30 million by 2030.
Source- Arab News
