“Tourist visas will be introduced soon,” The Times quoted Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, the head of the Saudi tourism authority, as saying. Currently, Saudi Arabia is issuing visas for Muslims who want to make the trip to Mecca—Islam’s holiest site—for the Hajj , but other entry permits for foreigners are expensive and difficult to secure. According to The Times, the starting price for a single-entry visitor’s visa to Saudi Arabia is the equivalent of 400 British pounds, or US$530. The country hopes to double the number of tourists by 2020 from the 8 million expected this year, most of whom are Muslims on pilgrimage. Non-Muslims are denied access to Mecca, and this restriction will probably stay in place, The Times says. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman initiated the idea to boost tourism in the Vision 2030 program that aims to overhaul the economy and reduce its […]