ITB Asia: Call for action to ease visas

03 Nov 2014  2036 | World Travel News

SINGAPORE The travel industry has to do more to convince governments to streamline or eliminate visa requirements, World Travel and Tourism Council CEO, David Scowsill, told an ITB Asia press briefing Wednesday.
Commenting on the challenges the travel industry faces, he said it was imperative to get over the message that easing visas improves tourism and that in turn creates jobs and builds the economy.
“Our research shows that easing the visa process has a direct impact improving tourism and that creates more jobs.”
Inside3He estimated that 1 in 12 jobs were related to tourism and that the tourism workforce worldwide represented 65 million jobs.
WTTC research presented to G20 countries during their summit indicated that when a country eased visa rules the boost in travel created 5 million jobs and over USD300 billion in revenue.
“The industry needs to pressure governments to ease visas,” he said, noting that there is already extensive details on passengers at the point of departure to ensure security is maintained.
“When passengers board aircraft, there is enough information at that point that governments can access to allow immigration or security agencies to make a decision.”
Small changes and improvements have been made in the visa process, he argued, claiming improvements were due to pressure from various travel associations, but more could be achieved.
The WTTC chief also called for industry support to dampen the panic generated by the on-going Ebola epidemic in Africa.
Identifying it as a major challenge, he said nations should adopt the right response.
“There has been the right reaction from the US and Europe that sent teams in to assist. The wrong reaction is to screen visitors on arrival and stop visas.”
Mr Scowsill singled out Australia as having the wrong reaction to the Ebola crisis, by suspending visas for people travelling from countries where Ebola is rife.
Elaborating on his comments during a Q&A session at the close of the briefing, he said screening was essential, but it should be carried out at airports in the countries where Ebola is rife.
“This is the recommendation of WHO… random screening at airports elsewhere will not take into account transit travellers.”
Some airports in Europe are screening people at arrivals, but that doesn’t include people in transit.
“It’s about containment and screening people leaving countries, rather than random reactions from governments concerning incoming scanning”, he added.
However, news reports suggest that the US is screening travellers from countries with Ebola cases at five gateway airports even though screening is carried out at the source countries as well.

sourced:ttrweekly.com 

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