The UAE on Monday launched a one-point travel project with Bahrain, which is designed to create a seamless journey for tourists from both countries.
Under the new system, travellers will undergo preclearance procedures at their departure airport, eliminating the need for security checks on arrival.
The pilot project will begin at Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain International Airport, state news agency Wam reported.
In the UAE, the project is implemented by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, while in Bahrain it is the responsibility of the Ministry of Interior, in co-operation with the General Secretariat of the GCC.
Last year, the pilot launch of a Unified GCC Tourist Visa was announced on World Tourism Day.
The visa programme is a Schengen-style initiative that will allow non-Gulf nationals the opportunity to visit any of the six countries in the region on one visa. It is also known as the GCC Grand Tours Visa.
“A unified visa would effectively integrate six destinations into a single, connected itinerary,” Victor Abou-Ghanem, chief executive of UAE-born Story Hospitality, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi Capital Group, told The National at the time.
