In a major step towards regional connectivity, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will launch a ‘one-stop’ travel system designed to make movement between member countries as seamless as domestic travel. The UAE and Bahrain will pilot the initiative in December, marking the first phase of a project that could eventually cover the entire Gulf region.
The GCC — which comprises the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman — has been steadily working towards greater economic and logistical integration. The new travel system is seen as a crucial milestone in that effort.
Announcing the initiative during the 42nd meeting of GCC Interior Ministers in Kuwait City, secretary-general Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi said the pilot phase would begin with air travel between the UAE and Bahrain. The ‘one-stop’ model will allow passengers to complete all immigration, customs and security procedures at a single checkpoint before departure, removing the need for multiple inspections upon arrival.
If successful, the system will be extended to all six member states, enabling Gulf citizens and residents to travel across the region with far greater ease.
The travel initiative complements another landmark project — the GCC Grand Tourist Visa, a unified visa scheme similar to Europe’s Schengen model. The visa, set to begin its pilot phase later this year, will allow tourists to visit multiple Gulf countries with a single permit. UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri described the plan as a “strategic step towards deeper regional integration” that would boost the Gulf’s appeal as a collective tourism destination.
Saudi Tourism Minister Ahmed Al Khateeb has said the unified visa could be fully implemented by 2026 or 2027.
Together, the two initiatives — the one-stop travel system and the GCC Grand Tourist Visa — are expected to transform mobility within the region, simplifying cross-border travel for Gulf citizens while strengthening the bloc’s position as a cohesive economic and tourism hub.
