Dubai: Recent regulatory changes to the UAE’s visa system are expected to boost medical tourism and develop the local cruise sector, the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), said in a statement on Wednesday.
The new visa and fees system became effective on August 1. The new measures include a new multiple entry tourism permit for cruise passengers and a range of new entry permits for medical tourists and their companions.
The visa options will ease travel between the UAE and nearby countries for travellers who need to make multiple stops whether by air, land or sea. “This positive announcement of the new visa system will have an encouraging impact on the attractiveness of Dubai as a destination for those overseas visitors who plan on travelling in and out of the UAE,” stated Hamad bin Mejren, executive director of business tourism at DTCM.
Cruise passengers can enter all of the UAE ports in their itinerary with one multiple entry visa. The new multiple entry tourism permit, which is priced at Dh200, is expected to make their travel more cost effective and logistically more convenient, according to the statement. A number of key markets for which previous regulations made the cost significantly higher will be impacted, including India, China, Russia, the CIS, South Africa, and Brazil.
“The announcement will have a significant impact on cruise tourism in the Arabian Gulf. With Dubai being the only home port for many international cruise lines operating cruises in this region, the advantage of simplifying visa procedures through granting passengers multiple entry tourist permits will reduce the costs for each passenger and further boost the sector’s growth,” Bin Mejren stated.
