Muscat: A prominent member of the Turkish Parliament from Adana Province, who previously served on the Foreign Affairs Committee, has proposed that GCC expatriates, including those residing in Oman, should be allowed to travel to Türkiye without a visa.
Since December 2023, Omani citizens holding ordinary passports have been granted visa exemptions for tourism purposes, allowing them to travel to Türkiye for up to 90 days.
In an interview with Times of Oman, Bilal Bilici, a Turkish Parliament member, highlighted Türkiye as an exceptional destination for GCC travelers seeking new experiences and cultural enrichment.
"With its rich history, vibrant culture, breathtaking natural beauty, and warm hospitality, Türkiye offers a diverse and captivating journey. As a public servant with a background in the private sector, I strongly believe in fostering cultural exchange, person-to-person interaction, and creating meaningful experiences free from bias and prejudice. Therefore, I wholeheartedly support and value all forms of interaction between the people and businesses of GCC countries, including expatriates and Türkiye. I firmly believe that GCC residents, including those in Oman, should be able to enter Türkiye either without a visa or through visa-on-arrival arrangements to boost tourism numbers," he stated.
Bilal Bilici, who previously worked in the petrochemical industry in Dubai, UAE for three years, suggested that Türkiye should adopt similar visa procedures to Georgia in order to attract more tourists.
"To achieve the target of 60 million tourists, we need to implement robust and practical visa liberalization measures," he expressed.
In 2023, the number of visitors to Türkiye increased by 10%, reaching 56.7 million. It is projected that in 2024, Türkiye will welcome 60 million tourists.
