TOKYO: Saudi Tourism Authority and JCB International Co., Ltd. have reached a historic agreement aimed at boosting tourism in the Kingdom. The memorandum of understanding was signed on Oct. 15 and signifies a significant milestone in collaboration between the two entities. Alhasan Aldabbagh, president of Asia Pacific Markets at Saudi Tourism Authority, said: “We are thrilled to partner with JCB International, a global leader in payment and technology. “This is a great opportunity for our tourism industry, as it will offer more convenience, familiarity, and security for Japanese travelers and other Asian tourists who prefer to use cashless payment methods. “We believe this collaboration will enhance the appeal of Saudi as a destination for international visitors and support our vision of becoming a leading global tourism hub.” The partnership with JCB is anticipated to unlock various opportunities for cooperation between Saudi and Japan. Notably, Japan is one of the 57 countries eligible for Saudi’s e-visa and visa on arrival, with special benefits such as a free one-night hotel stay for tourists flying onwards on Saudia as part of the Kingdom’s 96-hour Stopover Visa program. Other key initiatives include VisitSaudi.ja portal in Japanese and joint marketing campaigns with leading travel trade partners to create excitement all year round. Japanese holidaymakers can also take advantage of special hotel offers from local destination management companies, with attractive deals inviting them to discover the true home of Saudi Arabia on their terms. Yoshiki Kaneko, president and CEO of JCB International Co., Ltd, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership: “This is a great chance for us to promote exciting travel experiences to Saudi for our cardmembers. Like Japan, Saudi is a truly unique destination, with fascinating nature, culture and history.” He added, “We’ve been working closely with the leading local banks in Saudi such as SNB, Alinma Bank, Riyad Bank, ANB, and Bank Al Jazira on merchant and ATM enablement to ensure JCB’s 154 million card members enjoy a seamless experience in Saudi.” This partnership signifies an important step in enhancing tourism, facilitating travel, and fostering greater cultural exchange between Saudi Arabia and Japan.