Saudi Arabia has launched a new "Package Visa" initiative aimed at simplifying travel for eligible nationalities, including Indians, by integrating tourist visa processing with flight and hotel bookings into a single transaction, requiring a minimum two-day stay with prices starting at 4,000 Saudi riyals and accommodating up to 14 people per package, with the package also encompassing tourist activities and cultural experiences, a move designed to boost the nation's growing tourism sector and position it as a more accessible global destination, further supported by the recent Cabinet approval for a unified national visa platform.

Saudi Arabia has launched a new "Package Visa" initiative aimed at simplifying travel for eligible nationalities, including Indians, by integrating tourist visa processing with flight and hotel bookings into a single transaction, requiring a minimum two-day stay with prices starting at 4,000 Saudi riyals and accommodating up to 14 people per package, with the package also encompassing tourist activities and cultural experiences, a move designed to boost the nation's growing tourism sector and position it as a more accessible global destination, further supported by the recent Cabinet approval for a unified national visa platform.

Saudi Arabia has launched a new "Package Visa" initiative aimed at simplifying travel for eligible nationalities, including Indians, by integrating tourist visa processing with flight and hotel bookings into a single transaction, requiring a minimum two-day stay with prices starting at 4,000 Saudi riyals and accommodating up to 14 people per package, with the package also encompassing tourist activities and cultural experiences, a move designed to boost the nation's growing tourism sector and position it as a more accessible global destination, further supported by the recent Cabinet approval for a unified national visa platform.

In a bid to reduce paperwork and ensure ease of travel, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has introduced what it calls a Package Visa, allowing visitors to plan their entire holiday trip in a single booking. Indians are among the few nationalities who are eligible for the visa service during the pilot phase.

The Package Visa service comprises not just tourist visa processing, but also flight bookings and hotel reservations, making travelling in Saudi Arabia hassle-free.

What is Package Visa?

Saudi Arabia's Package Visa allows visitors of certain nationalities to obtain an instant electronic tourist visa to Saudi Arabia upon purchasing an integrated tourism package.

The trips must be booked for a minimum stay of two days and prices start from 4,000 Saudi riyals (approximately ₹1,00,920). Up to 14 members can be included in each package.

The package must include confirmed accommodation and flight bookings from a travel and tourism service provider approved by the Ministry of Tourism. It would also include tourist activities, cultural experiences and entertainment events.

Besides Indians, citizens of Indonesia, Egypt, Jordan, Mexico, Bangladesh and Pakistan are eligible for the pilot phase.

"As Saudi’s tourism sector continues to grow at pace, Package Visa reflects our commitment to making travel to Saudi more seamless for visitors," Saudi tourism minister Ahmed Al Khateeb said in a statement.

"By integrating visa issuance with travel bookings, we are simplifying the visitor journey and creating a more connected travel experience. This initiative also strengthens collaboration across the tourism ecosystem and supports Saudi's position as an increasingly accessible global destination," the minister added.

This comes as the Saudi Cabinet on Tuesday approved the establishment of a unified national visa platform where users can avail all visa-related services.

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