- Qatar announced on Wednesday a programme to allow visa-free entry for citizens of 80 countries, to promote travel and tourism while it faces boycott by other GCC countries
- Nationals from dozens of countries in Europe and elsewhere including India, Lebanon, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States only need a valid passport to enter Qatar from now on
- Nationals of 33 countries will be allowed to stay for 180 days and the other 47 for up to 30 days
- The Qatar Tourism Authority hopes that the visa exemption scheme will make Qatar the most open country in the region
- On 5th June, 2017, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates imposed a boycott on Qatar and cut off all transport links with the country
- Other GCC nations accused Qatar of supporting terrorism and of close ties to Iran, but those accusations have been denied
- Etihad, Emirates, Fly Dubai and Air Arabia have suspended all flights to Qatar and Qatar Airways has suspended all flights to UAE, Saudi, Bahrain and Egypt
- Qatar is gearing up to host the football World Cup in 2022, and officials have stated that the Arab sanctions will not affect the ongoing preparations
- Foreign workers from countries including India and Nepal account for around 90% of Qatar’s population of 2.7 million
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