Will Egypt’s decision to impose visa fees on GCC countries affect tourism revival?

Egypt has imposed entry visa fees to its territories on GCC citizens, a decision that some say shouldn’t have been taken under the coronavirus circumstances, as tourism has been dealt a heavy blow.
SHARM EL-SHEIKH, EGYPT - JULY 25: Empty deck chairs bear witness to what should have been a bustling beach at sunset on July 25, 2005 in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. With foreign tourists cutting short their holidays and tour operators cancelling flights after the weekend's bombings that killed at least 64 people, Egypt seems sure to suffer from a significant decrease in tourism, one of the country's major sources of foreign income. (Photo by Uriel Sinai/Getty Images)
Empty deck chairs bear witness to what should have been a bustling beach at sunset on July 25, 2005, in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. - Uriel Sinai/Getty Images
AlaaOmran.jpg
Alaa Omran
@alaaomran4

CAIRO — The Egyptian Ministry of Interior announced its decision to collect entry visa fees to Egyptian territories from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) citizens, specifically from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait. 

The decision, which was published in the official gazette on June 17, did not specify the value of the fee yet. Egypt has been collecting a $25 fee since 2019 from visitors who are not visa-exempt for a single entry visa, and $60 for a multiple entry visa.

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.

Videos

See more