Visa facilitation could create 2.6 million new jobs in APEC economies

BALI - A report by the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) shows that visa facilitation could create up to 2.6 million new jobs, and an additional US$8 billion in international tourism receipts  generated by 57 million more tourists in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies by 2016.

The report indicates that although there has been successful collaboration and advances across the APEC region to facilitate visas, including progressive approaches to implement new visa policies, 21% of expected international tourists arriving into APEC over the period 2014-2016 would still be required to obtain a traditional visa prior to travel under current visa policies. www.UNWTO.org www.wttc.org (ATI).