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Government in visa U-turn row
By Pete Hayman
Tourism organisations have criticised plans by the government to scrap visa waiver agreements with 11 countries early next year.
UKinbound and the Tourism Alliance have both expressed serious concerns that the decision could threaten trade relations and outbound tourism, as well as badly damaging inbound tourism from some of the world's key emerging markets. It follows a decision announced by the Home Office last week that the countries in question failed to meet "strict criteria to determine the level of risk to the UK" in the first ever global visa review performed by the government and UK Border Agency (UKBA). The 11 countries named by the Home Office are Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Lesotho, Malaysia, Mauritius, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Trinidad & Tobago, and Venezuela. Stephen Dowd, the outgoing chief executive of UKinbound, said: "These measures are an ill-conceived overreaction by the UKBA, irrespective of the damage to trading links with these countries of which tourism is just one of many." Three of those countries named by the government - Brazil, Malaysia and South Africa - accounted for over half a million visitors to the UK during 2006, worth over £456m. All three, together with Trinidad & Tobago, also represent an important part of the visiting friends and family market which make up approximately 30 per cent of all inbound flights. There is also concern that there will be reciprocal action taken against UK tourists. According to the Tourism Alliance, any such counter-measures will have a "detrimental impact on UK travel agents and tour operators who are already facing declining bookings." Each of the 11 countries has been given a six month period by the UK government in which to "significantly reduce" the threat they pose to the UK before visa requirements are re-introduced. After that, potential tourists will face an additional £65 charge in order to apply for a biometric visa allowing entry into Britain. "Any decision requiring the citizens of commonwealth countries such as South Africa and Malaysia to have their fingerprints taken so they can visit Britain will be very poorly received in those countries," said Tourism Alliance director, Bob Cotton.Tourism organisations have criticised plans by the government to scrap visa waiver agreements with 11 countries early next year.
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