Month: September 2016

The East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) is pushing for the introduction of the single tourism visa to boost a tourism sector in the region.

A report presented by the chairman of the Agriculture, Tourism and Natural Resources Committee, Mr Christophe Bazivamo (Rwanda), on Monday, Eala urged the Council of Ministers to fast-track and complete the study on the implementation of the EAC one single tourist visa which started three years ago.

The assembly also wants the EAC council to fast-track ratification of the protocol on tourism and wildlife management and for the EAC to provide additional resources for the Tourism and Wildlife Management Unit.

Ms Nusura Tiperu, Uganda’s representative in the assembly, said it was time for the single visa because the region has vast tourist attractions.

“There needs to be more information and data available on tourism to ensure visitors benefit on the tourist facilities,” Ms Tiperu said.
She urged the Council of Ministers to ensure the secretariat is well staffed and capacitated.

Mr Adam Kimbisa (Tanzania), said there was need to ensure inter-connectivity and infrastructure to support systems of the one single tourist visa.

Uganda’s representative Mike Sebalu, hyrose Bhanji (Tanzania) and Isabelle Ndahayo (Burundi) supported the adoption of the report.
Currently sitting in the first meeting of the 5th session of the 3rd Assembly in Arusha, Tanzania, the assembly also said hotel classification in the region continues to face challenges which include poor planning in the construction modalities.

It urged the EAC member states to establish a mechanism for funds to support the initiative and enhance capacity building.
The assembly passed a report of the oversight activity on hotel classification and preparedness for a single tourist visa.

Currently, the single Tourism Visa allows a foreigner who wants to visit simultaneously the Republic of Uganda, Republic of Rwanda and Republic of Kenya for tourism.

The holder of the East Africa Tourist Visa is allowed enter from the country that issued the visa and move within the two other countries without applying for another visa or paying another visa fee.

The holder is also allowed to move out of the Republic of Kenya, Republic of Rwanda and Republic of Uganda; and return without having to pay for another visa. This will only be applicable in the period of 90 days.

In the Photo: The 3 heads of state of Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya, launching the EA Tourist Visa

Four East Africa countries are in talks to reach an open skies agreement. Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan are in talks to reach a multilateral air service agreement to open the East Africa’s skies.

These four countries are working on an open skies agreement to create one airspace to enhance air connectivity within the region.

According to Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCCA) Director-General, Gilbert Kibe, said Kenya, the countries were jointly working on a multi-lateral air service agreement. If an agreement is reached, the four countries would remove travel restrictions to create one airspace. He reported that “Before the end of this year, we will have the way forward on efforts being made by the four nations to open the skies so that our airlines can operate as domestic carriers,”.

He also established that in February last year, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta had signed a document on open skies in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, binding the country to implement the policy by 2017.

“For the country to meet the next year’s deadline, we resolved to engage our three neighboring states so that we could work toward realising one airspace,” he said. In October, he added, the Kenyan government would invite players, including those from the tourism and transport industries, for deliberations to design the open skies policy.

The development has been welcomed by various hoteliers and stakeholders. According to the Association of Uganda Tour Operators (AUTO), it is agreeable that hotels are almost empty as only a few airlines have been licensed to operate scheduled flights to particular airports in the East African region. Perhaps an open sky approach will spur travel within the region, especially in the form of citizens of East Africa visiting other parts of the East African region.

East African states are moving away from marketing individual countries, to pooling resources, and marketing East Africa, as a single tourism destination with the tagline “seamless boarders”, and using incentives like the single tourist visa which permits a traveler to visit Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda under a single visa.