The United Arab Emirates, UAE, on Monday introduced a multiple-entry tourist visas scheme valid for five years for all nationalities, with the aim of turning the Gulf state into a tourism hub.

“#UAE Cabinet chaired by @HHShkMohd, approves new amendment for tourist visas in #UAE,” the government of Dubai Media Office tweeted, referring to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the UAE prime minister and ruler of Dubai.

“The new tourist visa will be valid for five years and can be used for multiple entries and is open for all nationalities,” the Dubai Media Office wrote.

Sheikh Maktoum said on Twitter that the UAE currently attracts 21 million tourists a year.

Travellers from Africa, some South American countries, Arab states outside the Gulf, and European states from outside the European Union and former Soviet Union previously needed visas.

In October, Dubai is to host Expo 2020, a big-budget global trade fair.

 The area where the Expo Dubai 2020 shall be held is a 438-hectare area situated between Dubai and Abu Dhabi. In the recent past, Dubai has made significant investments in real estate and also introduced the world’s largest solar power project which is supposed to start off by Expo 2020. Apart from investments, they are also giving weightage to public relationships. An initiative, the Dubai Happiness Agenda, comprises 16 programmes under four themes which add upto a total of 82 projects with the objective of making it the happiest city by 2020.