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EU chief recommends relaxing visa rules
EU chief recommends relaxing visa rules
| Published: | 15 Mar at 6 PM |
Countries should be more liberal with their visa regimes in an attempt to attract a greater number of tourists and boost economic growth in the European Union, said a senior Brussels Commissioner.
The European Commissioner for tourism Antonio Tajani said that the visa policy needs to be more modern so it can attract the increasing number of middle class people from China, India, Brazil and Russia. He told The Independent that he is at the beginning of trying to make this happen, but insisted it would not be easy t change the rules.
US President Barack Obama changed the application process for tourist visas to the US in January in an attempt to attract more visitors from Brazil and China. Mr Tajani said that this change to place because the US views the tourist sector as important and added that he is in favour of something similar happening in Europe.
Mr Tajani said that European states have long since neglected tourism as a “Cinderella industry” and it was now time for countries to view the sector as essential to achieve growth, particularly in the southern European nations that are suffering due to the region’s sovereign debt crisis.
At present, tourist from non-EU countries must apply for their visitor visa from a local consulate of a member state. The visa enables a person to remain in the eurozone for up to three months and permits them to free movement within the 26 countries of the European Schengen region (which the UK is not a part of).
The European Commissioner for tourism Antonio Tajani said that the visa policy needs to be more modern so it can attract the increasing number of middle class people from China, India, Brazil and Russia. He told The Independent that he is at the beginning of trying to make this happen, but insisted it would not be easy t change the rules.
US President Barack Obama changed the application process for tourist visas to the US in January in an attempt to attract more visitors from Brazil and China. Mr Tajani said that this change to place because the US views the tourist sector as important and added that he is in favour of something similar happening in Europe.
Mr Tajani said that European states have long since neglected tourism as a “Cinderella industry” and it was now time for countries to view the sector as essential to achieve growth, particularly in the southern European nations that are suffering due to the region’s sovereign debt crisis.
At present, tourist from non-EU countries must apply for their visitor visa from a local consulate of a member state. The visa enables a person to remain in the eurozone for up to three months and permits them to free movement within the 26 countries of the European Schengen region (which the UK is not a part of).
