Saudi Arabia will reopen to vaccinated international visitors from 1 August with claims that it is safer than many traditional tourism hotspots.

Currently, it says it has fewer than 15,000 coronavirus cases per million residents, which is below the global average of just over 25,000 cases per million.

And since Saudi Arabia is on the UK’s amber travel list, British holidaymakers who’ve had both doses of the COVID vaccine will be able to travel there and back without the need to quarantine.

From Sunday, all fully vaccinated international visitors be exempt from quarantine in Saudi, but arrivals must present a negative COVID test, taken no more than 72 hours before their flight, and present a paper certificate to prove their vaccination status.

News of Saudi’s reopening comes just a day after cruise line MSC announced a five-year deal with Cruise Saudi for preferential berthing rights in Jeddah, from where it will operate cruises in the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf.

The announcement was made in Jeddah as MSC Bellissima celebrated the opening of the city’s new passenger terminal with a commemorative event on board. The ship will operate three- and four-night cruises from Jeddah to both Egypt and Jordan until the end of October.