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Zambia mulls waiving visa requirements to boost tourism

Xinhua, February 10, 2015 Adjust font size:

Zambian President Edgar Lungu said on Monday that his government will pilot a one-year visa waiver for some countries to see if it will boost tourist arrivals, his office said in a statement obtained by Xinhua.

The Zambian leader said his government will pilot a waiver for nationals from two European and two Asian countries to ascertain the effect on tourism arrivals, according to the statement released by presidential spokesperson Amos Chanda.

However, the president did not name the countries to which the visa waiver will be applied.

The government, he said, would undertake a cost-benefit analysis of the waiver with specific focus on the impact of security and other related matters.

A tourism industry body said the number of tourist arrivals in Zambia is expected to reach 1.5 million per year following the lifting of the yellow fever requirement for travelers between Zambia and South Africa.

The Tourism Council of Zambia said the decision will greatly benefit Zambia's tourism industry.

The South African Department of Health recently waived yellow fever certificate requirement for Zambia after the World Health Organization declared Zambia yellow fever free. Endite