MANAMA — A single Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) entry visa will help boost the number of tourists in the region and will reinvigorate tourism as a sector, a study submitted to GCC officials has found. “A study has been submitted to the Gulf Cooperation Council on adopting a single tourism visa,” Abdul Raheem Hassan Naqi, the secretary general of the GCC chambers unions, said. “The move will reinvigorate the tourism sector amid expectations that the GCC countries will invest around $380 billion [Dh1.395 billion] in tourism projects by 2018,” he said in remarks published by Saudi daily Al Eqtisadiya Sunday. The study covers all aspects of the single visa and calls for allowing a tourist planning to visit one of the GCC states to move smoothly to other countries as well. “The GCC have the capabilities to implement the visa recommendations and the fact that $380 billion will be invested in tourism and related sectors should be an outstanding stimulus for other ministries and government agencies,” he said. “We understand the specificities of some countries, but we look at the overall benefits of Gulf tourism and its economic contributions to each of the member states. Tourism remains a factor for local economies and jobs and all efforts should be channeled into doing away with complications. — Agencies