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RIYADH – Saudi Arabia today said it will reopen its borders to fully vaccinated foreign tourists after a 17-month closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, Riyadh did not announce any lifting of restrictions for the umrah, a pilgrimage that can be undertaken at any time, and which usually attracts millions of Muslims from across the globe each year.
“The Tourism Ministry announced that the kingdom will open its doors to foreign tourists, and lift... the suspension of entry for tourist visa holders, starting August 1,” reported the Saudi Press Agency.
It said travellers fully vaccinated with Saudi-approved jabs – Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson – will be able to enter the country “without the need for an institutional quarantine period”, provided that they also have proof of a negative PCR test taken within the last 72 hours and register their details with health authorities.
Riyadh has spent billions trying to build a tourism industry from scratch, as part of efforts to diversify its oil-reliant economy.
The once-reclusive kingdom began issuing tourist visas for the first time in 2019, part of an ambitious push to revamp its global image and draw visitors.
Between September 2019 and March last year, it issued 400,000 – only for the pandemic to crush the momentum as borders were closed.
Covid-19 also hugely disrupted the haj and umrah pilgrimages, usually a key revenue earner for the kingdom – in normal times, they together rake in some US$12 billion (RM50.78 billion) annually.
Currently, only immunised pilgrims residing in Saudi Arabia are eligible for umrah permits.
The government has accelerated a nationwide vaccination drive as it moves to revive tourism and host sports and entertainment extravaganzas, all pandemic-hit sectors.
So far, 26 million jabs have been administered to its population of 35 million, and the kingdom said starting Sunday, vaccinations will be mandatory to enter government and private establishments, including education institutions and entertainment venues, as well as to use public transport.
Saudi Arabia has registered more than 523,000 coronavirus cases, with 8,213 deaths. – AFP, July 30, 2021