Details about tourist visas to Saudi Arabia will be announced at the end of the first quarter, a report said.

According to The Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH), regulations will be issued once they have been approved by its board of directors, said a report in Arab News.

SCTH has also refuted media reports about the nationalities that can apply for tourist visas, stating that these were mere speculation or based on deliberations that have not yet been finalised by the commission, the report said.

The commission added that preparations for launching tourist visas are underway, in coordination with the Ministry of Interior as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The tourist visa initiative is meant to revive the previous tourist visa system, which existed between 2008 and 2010, to enable visitors to discover new destinations in the kingdom, boost the tourism sector, and develop tourism and heritage services and facilities in the country.