Zimpapers Logo

Business Reporter
ZIMBABWE and Zambia will today unveil a Univisa regime that is expected to streamline, simplify and align their immigration formalities to make tourism more competitive.

The Univisa pilot project between the neighbouring countries will be launched in Victoria Falls during the Sadc ministers of tourism meeting underway in the resort town.

Currently, tourists from different countries must apply for separate visas for each country, each with visa regimes; which act as a deterrent to multi-country travel in the region.

To that end, a common visa, now referred to as Univisa, was mooted by Heads of State in 1998. While the process initially faced obstacles, it has gained momentum.

The process will take a phased approach, the first being a pilot initiative; a Univisa between Zimbabwe and Zambia, and if successful, extend to five other countries.

This is because the concept was a success when the two countries co-hosted the 20th session of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation General Assembly last year. Assuming it is successful, the Univisa concept will be extended to three other countries that are members of the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area.

This will see the incorporation of more countries such as South Africa, Mozambique, Malawi and thereafter most of the countries that are members of Sadc.

It is expected that the Univisa will make the region more competitive while giving the added advantage of more convenience and reduced cost for the tourists to the region.

It is expected that this will, undoubtedly, broaden and enrich the tourism experience while providing important economic benefits to the region’s diverse countries. The project is being facilitated by the regional tourism organisation of southern Africa and the World Bank, who provided $700 000.

The country generated about $793 million from tourism last year although Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi contends it would be generating $12 billion if it did not suffer from negative publicity.

Results of arrivals for 2013 indicate that Zimbabwe recorded a 2 percent growth in tourist arrivals having risen from 1 794 230 in 2012 to 1 832 570 in 2013.

Although arrivals increased marginally, Zimbabwe is yet to reach the peak period of tourism, which was realised in 1999 when it registered 27 percent growth in overseas arrivals, compared to the 14 percent expected to be realised in 2014.