The Kingdom’s latest tourism initiative removes one of the biggest headaches of international travel by integrating visa applications directly into holiday bookings.
Planning an overseas holiday usually means opening a dozen browser tabs.
One for flights. Another for hotels. A third for activities. Then comes the visa application often a completely separate process with its own forms, documents and waiting time.
Saudi wants to change that.
The Kingdom has introduced Package Visa, a new digital initiative that allows eligible travellers to arrange their tourist visa while booking their holiday, bringing flights, accommodation and selected travel experiences together in one streamlined process.
It’s a small change that could make a big difference for anyone considering Saudi as their next destination.
Instead of organising every part of the trip separately, travellers booking through qualified travel providers will be able to complete much of the journey before they even board the plane. Depending on the package, bookings can also include attractions, events and curated experiences, reducing the back-and-forth that often comes with international travel planning.
The initiative is currently being introduced through selected travel and tourism partners across international markets before a wider rollout.
The move reflects a broader shift in how destinations are competing for visitors. Beautiful landscapes and luxury hotels are no longer enough. Increasingly, travellers are choosing destinations that are simply easier to visit.
Saudi has spent the past few years steadily removing barriers to entry. Following the introduction of its tourist eVisa, the Kingdom expanded access through visa on arrival and the Stopover Transit Visa. Package Visa becomes the latest addition to that growing ecosystem, designed to make planning a trip feel less like paperwork and more like booking a holiday.
The strategy appears to be working.
Saudi welcomed more than 29 million inbound visitors in 2025, underscoring the country’s rapid emergence as one of the world’s fastest-growing tourism destinations.
His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism, said the initiative is part of the Kingdom’s commitment to making travel more seamless.
“As Saudi’s tourism sector continues to grow at pace, Package Visa reflects our commitment to making travel to Saudi more seamless for visitors. By integrating visa issuance with travel bookings, we are simplifying the visitor journey and creating a more connected travel experience. This initiative also strengthens collaboration across the tourism ecosystem and supports Saudi’s position as an increasingly accessible global destination.”
For travellers, the benefit is straightforward: fewer steps, less administration and a simpler way to organise a trip.
For travel companies, it opens the door to offering fully integrated holidays that combine accommodation, transport, experiences and visa processing in one package, encouraging visitors to stay longer and explore more of the Kingdom.
To maintain service quality, the programme will only be available through approved travel and tourism providers that meet Saudi’s standards and offer 24-hour customer support.
As Saudi continues investing in tourism under Vision 2030, the focus is no longer just on what visitors can see once they arrive. Increasingly, it’s about making the journey there just as effortless.