The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday ratified the issuance of five years multiple-entry tourist visa plan for all nationalities.

Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice-president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, made the disclosure on his official twitter handle after his first cabinet meeting for the new year.

Maktoum said the initiative was part of plans to make the Gulf state into the epicentre of tourism and to establish the country as a major global tourist destination.

The prime minister added that the UAE receives 21 million visitors annually.

“Today we approved the change of the tourist visa system in the country … so that the duration of the tourist visa is five years, multi-use .. for all nationalities .. we receive more than 21 million tourists annually and our aim is to establish the country as a major global tourist destination,” Maktoum said on Twitter.

“I chaired the first meeting of the Council of Ministers in the new year … We reviewed the achievements of a year ago … Our plan for a new year has come … The year 2020 will be a different year because it is the year of preparation for its fifty .. the year in which we design the future emirates”

Dubai, the country’s commercial city, is one of the favourite destinations of Nigerian travellers and prior to the extension, tourists could only get a 30-day or 90-day visa duration, depending on the country.