Colombia, Peru, Ecuador work towards joint visa system
http://colombiareports.com/colombia-peru-ecuador-work-towards-joint-visa-system/
posted by Narayan Buckley
Colombia, Peru and Ecuador signed a letter of intent to implement a single tourist visa for all three countries, while taking part in the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Tuesday.
The agreement, signed at the WEFs's Travel and Tourism Summit in Lima, Perus capital, is considered to be the first step in implementing a joint electronic visa system for the three countries.
States should consider gradually eliminating traditional visa procedures and replacing them with a smart visa electronic system that creates a common visa and increases the facilitation of tourist travel and the security of states, said José Luis Silva Martinot, Minister of Trade and Tourism of Peru. Easy and hassle-free availability of visas is one of the basic ingredients for attracting foreign tourists. Increasing international demand for tourism represents a clear opportunity for governments to encourage visitors to spend, thereby stimulating job creation.
Such a system would improve mobility for international tourists and increase the attractiveness of the three contries as a tourist destination, thus seek to stimulate economic growth and job creation.