Saudi Arabia to Resume International Travel from 31st March, 2021

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Saudi Arabia is set to lift its travel ban on tourists from the 31^st of March, 2021 onwards. This announcement comes at a time when several countries of the world are tightening their travel restrictions in view of the newer strains of the virus as well as escalating cases in certain pockets around the world.

Initial Restrictions in December

Reopening of Saudi Arabia’s tourism industry will be an important step in the direction of reviving international travel as a whole. It was among the handful of countries that initially announced the imposition of a travel ban on travelers coming from other foreign nations from the 21^st of December, 2020. This decision was the result of the rapidly spreading UK Covid strain. Saudi Arabia went on to impose a ban on the entry of travellers not only from the UK and South Africa, but rather it opted for a blanket travel ban that was applicable to countries of the world.

Restrictions Relaxed

However, the country recently announced the withdrawal of the ban. Its temporary ban on land, sea, and air travel will be withdrawn by the government on the 3st of March, 2021. This period is equally significant for the country as it is just two weeks before the start of Ramadan, one of the most sacred holidays in Islam, the country’s most popular religion.  Saudi citizens will be permitted to travel abroad once more, whilst citizens from foreign countries may be permitted to enter Saudi Arabia for the first time since entry was forbidden. The decision was made following a drop in the number of cases of Covid-19 in the country, which has seen a steady decline since they were at their worst in June.

Reception of this News by the People

The news was welcomed by the nationals of the country. Al-Maha United Travel, a travel company based in Jeddah, spoke about their difficulties during the pandemic, and reported that there was a high demand for trips to Dubai, London and the United States. However, there has been a significant rise in the air ticket prices, the vulnerability of bookings has also become a hindrance. Some travelers were wary of booking tickets without the guarantee of entry to their destination, with many countries around the world either closed to visitors or having strict entry requirements. Thus, some in Saudi Arabia are still waiting until they have a clearer picture of travel in 2021 before booking a trip.