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Saudi Arabia Continues to Promote Tourism by Providing Electronic Visas to 6 New Countries

A historical site near the Saudi city of AlUla. (AFP)
A historical site near the Saudi city of AlUla. (AFP)
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Saudi Arabia Continues to Promote Tourism by Providing Electronic Visas to 6 New Countries

A historical site near the Saudi city of AlUla. (AFP)
A historical site near the Saudi city of AlUla. (AFP)

The Saudi Ministry of Tourism announced on Tuesday the availability of electronic visit visas for citizens of six countries, bringing the total number to 63 countries benefiting from this service.

The new countries include, Türkiye, Thailand, Panama, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Seychelles, and Mauritius. Citizens can obtain a visit visa electronically or directly upon arrival at one of the Kingdom’s international ports.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, tourism experts pointed to the importance of providing electronic visas to the largest number of countries, in order to meet the giant tourism projects that are emerging in the Kingdom, and to receive visitors from all over the world.

Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of the National Tourism Committee of the Federation of Saudi Chambers Nayef Al-Rajhi said the Kingdom was significantly expanding the granting of electronic visas to citizens of other countries, underlining its endeavor to promote the sector and reach its target to receive 100 million visitors in 2030.

According to Al-Rajhi, digital transformation in public and private agencies contributed to facilitating visitor procedures for tourists.

He added that Saudi Arabia’s tourism openness expands the work of the local private sector and attracts foreign capital to enter and invest in major tourism projects.

General Manager and CEO of Abdul Mohsen Al-Hokair Company Majed Al-Hokair told Asharq Al-Awsat that expanding the scope of electronic visas to include six new countries is a step towards achieving the Kingdom’s aspirations to advance the tourism sector and an opportunity for tourists to discover the country’s rich landmarks.

He added that Saudi Arabia has a target to raise the contribution of the tourism sector to the gross domestic product to exceed 10 percent, and to diversify the economy in line with the goals of Vision 2030.

Al-Hokair noted that the government would move forward to add more beneficiaries of the electronic visa system in order to encourage tourists to discover various sites across the Kingdom.

The new step by the Saudi government is part of efforts aimed at enhancing the country’s openness to the world, and supporting development and economic diversification to achieve the goals of Vision 2030. The goals include raising the tourism sector’s contribution to the gross domestic product from 3 to more than 10 percent and providing one million job opportunities in the sector.

In addition to citizens of the 63 countries, the tourist visa is available to seven other categories: residents of the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union countries, and holders of American and British visit visas, as well as those who hold Schengen visas, and all residents of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

The Red Sea International Company recently announced the opening of its tourism destination to visitors from all over the world, through the Red Sea International Airport, which currently receives flights directly from Riyadh. The service will be expanded to include several other regions.

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Business

IMF and Arab Monetary Fund Sign MoU to Enhance Cooperation

The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki - SPA
The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki - SPA
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IMF and Arab Monetary Fund Sign MoU to Enhance Cooperation

The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki - SPA
The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki - SPA

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the sidelines of the AlUla Conference on Emerging Market Economies (EME) to enhance cooperation between the two institutions.

The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki, SPA reported.

The agreement aims to strengthen coordination in economic and financial policy areas, including surveillance and lending activities, data and analytical exchange, capacity building, and the provision of technical assistance, in support of regional financial and economic stability.

Both sides affirmed that the MoU represents an important step toward deepening their strategic partnership and strengthening the regional financial safety net, serving member countries and enhancing their ability to address economic challenges.

Business

Saudi Chambers Federation Announces First Saudi-Kuwaiti Business Council

File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT
File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT
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Saudi Chambers Federation Announces First Saudi-Kuwaiti Business Council

File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT
File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT

The Federation of Saudi Chambers announced the formation of the first joint Saudi-Kuwaiti Business Council for its inaugural term (1447–1451 AH) and the election of Salman bin Hassan Al-Oqayel as its chairman.

Al-Oqayel said the council’s formation marks a pivotal milestone in economic relations between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, reflecting a practical approach to enabling the business sectors in both countries to capitalize on promising investment opportunities and strengthen bilateral trade and investment partnerships, SPA reported.

He noted that trade between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait reached approximately SAR9.5 billion by the end of November 2025, including SAR8 billion in Saudi exports and SAR1.5 billion in Kuwaiti imports.

Business

Leading Harvard Trade Economist Says Saudi Arabia Holds Key to Success in Fragmented Global Economy

Professor Pol Antràs speaks during a panel discussion at the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies (Asharq Al-Awsat).
Professor Pol Antràs speaks during a panel discussion at the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies (Asharq Al-Awsat).
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Leading Harvard Trade Economist Says Saudi Arabia Holds Key to Success in Fragmented Global Economy

Professor Pol Antràs speaks during a panel discussion at the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies (Asharq Al-Awsat).
Professor Pol Antràs speaks during a panel discussion at the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies (Asharq Al-Awsat).

Harvard University economics professor Pol Antràs said Saudi Arabia represents an exceptional model in the shifting global trade landscape, differing fundamentally from traditional emerging-market frameworks. He also stressed that globalization has not ended but has instead re-formed into what he describes as fragmented integration.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on the sidelines of the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies, Antràs said Saudi Arabia’s Vision-driven structural reforms position the Kingdom to benefit from the ongoing phase of fragmented integration, adding that the country’s strategic focus on logistics transformation and artificial intelligence constitutes a key engine for sustainable growth that extends beyond the volatility of global crises.

Antràs, the Robert G. Ory Professor of Economics at Harvard University, is one of the leading contemporary theorists of international trade. His research, which reshaped understanding of global value chains, focuses on how firms organize cross-border production and how regulation and technological change influence global trade flows and corporate decision-making.

He said conventional classifications of economies often obscure important structural differences, noting that the term emerging markets groups together countries with widely divergent industrial bases. Economies that depend heavily on manufacturing exports rely critically on market access and trade integration and therefore face stronger competitive pressures from Chinese exports that are increasingly shifting toward alternative markets.

Saudi Arabia, by contrast, exports extensively while facing limited direct competition from China in its primary export commodity, a situation that creates a strategic opportunity. The current environment allows the Kingdom to obtain imports from China at lower cost and access a broader range of goods that previously flowed largely toward the United States market.

Addressing how emerging economies should respond to dumping pressures and rising competition, Antràs said countries should minimize protectionist tendencies and instead position themselves as committed participants in the multilateral trading system, allowing foreign producers to access domestic markets while encouraging domestic firms to expand internationally.

He noted that although Chinese dumping presents concerns for countries with manufacturing sectors that compete directly with Chinese production, the risk is lower for Saudi Arabia because it does not maintain a large manufacturing base that overlaps directly with Chinese exports. Lower-cost imports could benefit Saudi consumers, while targeted policy tools such as credit programs, subsidies, and support for firms seeking to redesign and upgrade business models represent more effective responses than broad protectionist measures.

Globalization has not ended

Antràs said globalization continues but through more complex structures, with trade agreements increasingly negotiated through diverse arrangements rather than relying primarily on multilateral negotiations. Trade deals will continue to be concluded, but they are likely to become more complex, with uncertainty remaining a defining feature of the global trading environment.

Interest rates and artificial intelligence

According to Antràs, high global interest rates, combined with the additional risk premiums faced by emerging markets, are constraining investment, particularly in sectors that require export financing, capital expenditure, and continuous quality upgrading.

However, he noted that elevated interest rates partly reflect expectations of stronger long-term growth driven by artificial intelligence and broader technological transformation.

He also said if those growth expectations materialize, productivity gains could enable small and medium-sized enterprises to forecast demand more accurately and identify previously untapped markets, partially offsetting the negative effects of higher borrowing costs.

Employment concerns and the role of government

The Harvard professor warned that labor markets face a dual challenge stemming from intensified Chinese export competition and accelerating job automation driven by artificial intelligence, developments that could lead to significant disruptions, particularly among younger workers. He said governments must adopt proactive strategies requiring substantial fiscal resources to mitigate near-term labor-market shocks.

According to Antràs, productivity growth remains the central condition for success: if new technologies deliver the anticipated productivity gains, governments will gain the fiscal space needed to compensate affected groups and retrain the workforce, achieving a balance between addressing short-term disruptions and investing in long-term strategic gains.