Visa wise, Asia and the Americas are the most tourist-friendly

A study by UNWTO on global visa requirements has shown that Asia, the Pacific and the Americas are the most tourist-friendly when it comes to visa requirements.

Petaling Jaya, Malaysia (prHWY.com) March 22, 2013 - A study by UNWTO on global visa requirements has shown that Asia, the Pacific and the Americas are the most tourist-friendly when it comes to visa requirements. This is thanks to the growing number of visa on arrival and e-visa facilities in recent years. They found that on average in 2012, 20% of the world's population did not need a visa to visit an Asian country, while 19% can easily get a visa on arrival and 7% can obtain an e-visa online. Meanwhile, in the Americas, 31% of global tourists could travel visa free, 8% could utilise visa on arrival facilities and 1% may apply for evisas.

Trailing behind are European countries, which have stricter visa policies. Although 21% of the world's population do not need tourist visas to enter Europe, only 6% are eligible for a visa on arrival and e-visa facilities are yet to be implemented. According to Taleb Rifai, UNWTO Secretary-General, "An overall restrictive Visa policy means lost opportunities for economic growth and jobs, which tourism could bring to destinations. Travellers regard Visas as a formality which entails a cost. This can be a deterrent to travel if costs - whether monetary or indirect - including distance, wait times and service, exceed a certain threshold."

The trend towards friendlier visa facilities in Asia, the Pacific and the Americas shows that agrowing number of countries are thoroughly reviewing and changing their visa policies. Since 2010, 43 destinations have amended their visa policies simpler for citizens of at least 20 countries by changing providing visa-free access, introducing visas on arrival and e-visa. Therefore, due to the ever-changing visa policies, tourists are advised to check up on the latest tourist visa requirements.

In addition, according to Rifai, upgraded and simplified visa facilities certainly have economic benefits. UNWTO and the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) estimates that visa processes could generate as much as US$206 billion in tourism receipts and create as many as 5.1 million additional jobs by 2015 in the G20 economies alone. As a result, G20 Leaders at the June 2012 summit in Los Cabos, Mexico, recognized tourism as "a vehicle for job creation, economic growth and development."


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Categories: Travel

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