Saudi Arabia has expanded the list of countries whose citizens can obtain an electronic tourist visa. It was introduced in the country in June of this year. 

Saudi Arabian authorities recently introduced a new instant visa that allows travelers to receive e-tourist visas to the Kingdom. The E-visa can be issued prior to arrival in the country through the visa.visitsaudi.com portal. 

It was originally announced that UK, US, and Schengen visa holders, as well as permanent residents of the UK, US, Russia, and any EU country, would be able to take advantage of this opportunity. Now the list has been expanded to include the following countries: Albania, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, the Maldives, South Africa, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. 

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The new instant electronic visa is one of several initiatives launched by the Kingdom over the past year to improve the visitor experience.

For example, in 2022, the Tourism Authority introduced the Nusuk platform, the first official integrated digital platform in the country's history, providing pilgrims and visitors with an easy way to plan trips to Mecca, Madinah, and other holy sites.

Saudi Arabia is making it easier for visitors to experience and contribute to the country in order to reach its ambitious goal of 100 million visits a year by 2030. The country has become one of the world's fastest-growing tourism markets since it opened its tourist routes in 2019, registering 93.5 million visits in 2022.