In recent years, there has been a noticeable trend towards lifting visa requirements for tourists.
There are many reasons for this shift — some countries are looking to recover their tourism industry (especially after the COVID-19 pandemic), while others see clear benefits to new tourism opportunities. According to HandyVisas, many countries want to spark economic growth, promote their culture, and increase tourism revenue.
The latter is an especially important point, particularly for countries that want to diversify their economy with other revenue streams (such as when Saudi Arabia opened their country for tourism, which now contributes nearly 4% to its GDP!)
Let’s take a look at this relaxed visa phenomenon, including the implications, which countries have recently relaxed their borders, and what benefits it holds for tourists.
Global trend towards easing visa requirements
Over the last five or so years, countries around the world have begun to relax their visa policies in order to attract potential tourists. This is especially true in the face of the pandemic when tourism was heavily impacted, and many countries faced unprecedented challenges due to the sharp decline in international travel.
According to a research study by Statista, the United States lost the most tourism revenue as a result of the pandemic—a staggering 147 billion USD between January and October 2020! Other countries that were hit the hardest include Spain (46 billion USD), France (42 billion), Thailand (37.5 billion), Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
After a significant decline in international tourism, many countries are taking a second look at their visa requirements and easing them in order to return to pre-pandemic levels. Simplified visa procedures, fast-track visa appointments, and even visa-free entry for citizens of some countries have become a common strategy to encourage tourism. However, for travelers heading to Europe, Schengen visa appointments remain a necessary step for entry into the Schengen Area. Due to high demand, securing an appointment can sometimes take months, making early planning crucial for those looking to visit European destinations.
Interestingly, these trends apply not only to tourism-dependent countries but also to countries like China, which was infamous for its strict visa policy.
Case studies: Selected countries
Let’s take a closer look at which countries have eased their visa requirement:
Turkey: This year, Turkey (officially known as Türkiye) has taken various measures to promote tourism and simplify obtaining visas. At the start of 2024, Turkey abolished tourist e-visas for citizens of several countries, including the United States, Bahrain, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Oman. According to the official tourism board, Go Türkiye, “2023 was the best year ever for American tourism to Türkiye, and with the cancellation of the visa requirement, 2024 is expected to be even bigger.”
Another interesting development is that Turkey is considering the possibility of introducing visas for digital nomads, which will open up new prospects for tourism and the economy. This will allow the country to attract a new category of tourists who can extend their stay, increase their consumption of local goods and services, and contribute to the local economy.
China: China has also joined the trend of simplifying visa requirements despite adhering to a strict visa policy for a long time—originally, only about two dozen countries had visa-free access to China!
To encourage more tourists to come to China, visa requirements have been simplified for citizens of European countries such as Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning stated that the purpose of easing visa requirements was to “promote the high-quality development of Chinese-foreign personnel exchanges and high-level opening up to the outside world.” Thanks to this program, citizens of the aforementioned countries will be able to visit China without a visa for up to 15 days. The trial is expected to run until November 30, 2024.
Kenya: One recent announcement that has been making headlines was Kenya’s decision to abolish visa requirements for all international visitors, which took effect in January 2024. Instead, the country now exclusively runs on an electronic travel authorization (eTA) system. The president of Kenya, William Ruto, stressed the need to abolish visa restrictions in order to embrace globalization and drive socio-economic development.
Benefits for Travelers
Not surprisingly, relaxing visa requirements offer plenty of benefits for international travelers.
For example, a lack of needing a visa saves travelers time in collecting the necessary documents, possibly going to their nearest embassy, and waiting for approval, which makes travel planning much easier and stress-free. In this way, travelers can spend their time on much more important things, such as planning their trip, searching for attractions, and booking reservations.
Simplified visa requirements will also make travel more affordable, as visa fees are often waived or reduced, which in turn attracts more tourists. For example, the United States has one of the most expensive visa fees in the world ($127 USD!) — if it were to be abolished, travelers could spend that money at a local restaurant, family-run hotel, or go on a guided tour, thereby giving back to the local economy.
Of course, fewer visa hassles mean increased tourism, which is essential to promoting cultural exchange and broadening horizons.
Considerations for Travelers
Although the easing of visa requirements is a fantastic benefit, it is still worth mentioning that this is not a complete exemption from the rules.
An important thing to remember is that each country still has a maximum number of days that travelers can legally stay visa-free in that country. For example, while China simplified its visa policy for some European citizens, it only allowed those travelers a maximum stay of 15 days in the country.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Travel
If it’s any indication, it looks like visa simplification is here to stay. By looking at the ‘case studies’ of countries like Turkey, China, and Kenya, other countries may be intrigued and take a second look at their own visa policy.
