Saudi Arabia to welcome vaccinated tourists from August 1

Saudi Arabia will allow vaccinated tourists into the country without the need for quarantine from August 1.

Vaccinated tourists will have to provide an inoculation certificate on arrival and register their vaccine data on the designated portal "Muqeem", the Ministry of Tourism said.

The Saudi Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Al Khatib, said the country was ready to welcome tourists again.

Travellers must have had two doses of vaccines approved by the kingdom, which include those produced by Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca and Moderna.

Visitors to the kingdom are also required to register on the "Tawakkalna" app, which must be used to enter all public places, including offices.

“We focused our efforts during the downtime, in close co-operation 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, unique tourist experiences, and learn about the culture of generosity and hospitality that characterises the Saudi society,” Mr Al Khatib said.

Saudi Arabia launched tourist visas in September 2019 as it opened doors to foreign visitors other than pilgrims for the first time, under its Vision 2030.

The country issued 400,000 visas within six months before the borders were closed again because of the pandemic.

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