East African Community (EAC) wants speedy fast tracking of single visa

  African Pearl Safaris
Activities like gorilla tracking are some of EAC’s largest foreign exchange earners.

The East African Community sectoral council on tourism and wildlife management has directed the task force undertaking a study on the establishment of a single regional tourist visa to submit the report by October.
The directive given at the fourth meeting of the sectoral council in Mombasa, Kenya, seeks to enable partner states to fast-track the introduction of a single EAC tourist visa to boost regional tourism.
The EAC secretariat was directed to submit the study report to partner states before the fifth sectoral council meeting scheduled for April 2011 for consideration and adoption.

Kenya’s Minister for Tourism, Mr Najib Balala, expressed concern that tourism in the region lagged behind other sectors despite its huge potential because partner states have failed to jointly address key issues that affect the sector.
He decried the red tape in the issuance of visas by individual partner states and called for the adoption of a common visa.

“Fear of the unknown and unfounded suspicions harboured by some partner states is holding back efforts to take the community to the next level of integration,” he said.
He said if countries work together, the number of tourists visiting the region will rise, thereby bringing more foreign currency to grow the region’s economies.
Uganda spends $330,000 annually on tourism marketing, $5 million for Rwanda, $10 million for Tanzania while Kenya spends $23 million amounts that are considered low compared to other big tourism destinations.

By: Bruce Ampumuza