The Tourist Visa (UNIVISA)

Tourism has the potential to become one of Southern Africa’s largest industries and to alleviate many of the economic problems of the SADC region. To achieve its tourism potential, SADC combines private and public sector efforts to promote the region as a world-class tourism destination. The region’s tourist draw cards include wildlife, a rich variety of wilderness areas and natural wonders of the world, sandy beaches, mountain ranges and a rich historical and cultural heritage which straddle across national borders.

The Tourism sector believes that a single VISA (UNIVISA) for SADC will considerably improve ease of travel and the flow of visitors to and within the region.

The Sector recognizes that any mechanism that can facilitate the entry of international and domestic tourists to the region, and specifically to SADC countries, can create extremely positive economic benefits for the performance of those countries, especially in terms of job creation, financial impact, (i.e. revenue to the tourism sector and balance of payments improvement), fiscal revenue and growth in national GDP.

The Role of RETOSA therefore is to encourage the relevant sectors in the region to;

1. Establish a tourism VISA (UNIVISA) which will facilitate movement of international tourists in to the region in order to increase the market share and revenue of the region in world tourism.
2. Have visa requirements for regional tourists who wish to enter  their territory as visitors, abolished or waived (VISA Exemption)

Status of VISA requirements in the region

UNIVISA Net Passport document : Click here to download .pdf     Size: 1.41 MB