Stakeholders seek visa policy review to boost tourism

Stakeholders in the tourism and hospitality sector have called for a review of the visa policies in Nigeria as a means of developing the sector.

The stakeholders made the call at a summit organised by Vertiline Synergy Limited held in Lagos on Friday.

They decried the stringent process of acquiring visas by experts, stressing that this had contributed to the dwindling fortune of the tourism sector, which they noted could serve as an alternative income source for the government.

Giving a keynote address, the Founder of Suffy Travels Limited, Sally Okpo, said the tourism sector is faced with a series of challenges, among which are infrastructure deficit, economic issues, and stringent visa policies.

Okpo added that the negative perception expressed by Nigerians about the country also contributes to the decline in the tourism sector.

She said, “Proper development of tourism can make it a major economic driver. However, challenges exist. Infrastructure needs improvement, and global perception which often focuses on negative perception especially being promoted by Nigerians needs to be stopped.

“Addressing these challenges is key to unlocking the potential of the tourism sector. The government should assist tourism for economic growth by putting infrastructures in place like good roads, hotel facilities, electricity and water.

“Our visa regime is so stringent. To get a visa is very difficult. We need to have bilateral partnerships with different countries in a way that they can come to this country visa-free.

“We should begin to look into having such partnerships with countries that allow visa-free entries for Nigerians and we also reciprocate the same for other countries. This will help us to develop tourism in Nigeria.”

In the same vein, the Managing Partner of Vertiline Synergy Limited, Sharon Ashinze, noted that beyond addressing the local challenges of insecurity and poor economy, the government should ensure it simplifies the visa processes to remove bottlenecks often faced by applicants.

Ashinze said, “If you are trying to promote tourism in your country, everything needs to be simplified. Even when you have stringent visa policies, there should not be bottlenecks.

“If the process is online, let everything be online so that whatever I want to do will be done online. Issues concerning delays in issuing visas should also be addressed.”

In her reaction, the Minister for Tourism, Lola Ade-John, who was represented by her Special Adviser on Media, Elizabeth Ofili, noted that the ministry is collaborating with the Ministry of Interior to ensure that the stringent visa policies are reviewed.

She urged stakeholders in the tourism sector to collaborate with the government to harness the potential of the sector while harping on the investment opportunities in the tourism sector.

“Some changes have been made already to make the process easier. We are working with the relevant ministry to see how we can make the process easier. Nigeria stands at the forefront of Africa’s hospitality landscape, offering a wealth of investment prospects.