18 July 2008

AITO warns on impact of UK visa clampdown

Countries penalised through planned new UK visa rules could force tit-for-tat action that would hit international traveller numbers.

The Association of Independent Tour Operators fears a government decision to scrap a visa waiver agreement for citizens of 11 countries visiting the UK will ââ¬Åâœlikely encourage reciprocal measuresââ¬~ and lead to fewer travellers visiting these countries.

The organisation has joined UKinbound in voicing its concern at the new proposals by the Home Officeââ¬â¢s United Kingdom Border Agency (see previous TravelMole story).

AITO warns of a ââ¬Åâœvery real possibilityââ¬~ of new visa requirements for UK travellers which could mean a ââ¬Åâœhuge increaseââ¬~ in cost and inconvenience for business trips and tourists wishing to visit favourite destinations.

The 11 countries named by the Home Office are Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Lesotho, Malaysia, Mauritius, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.

Eight of these countries are Commonwealth nations who depend heavily upon British tourism.

ââ¬ÅâœThe real people to lose out are the locals who make a living from tourism as visitor numbers will inevitably fall,ââ¬~ AITO claimed.

ââ¬ÅâœWith increasing oil prices, uncertain interest rates and rising inflation all contributing to make trading for tour operators difficult, it would seem that any additional external factors will only exacerbate the situation and make people less likely to travel.ââ¬~

AITO chairman Derek Moore (Explore) said: ââ¬ÅâœThese new measures are a real concern for our members, over 60 of whom operate to these 11 countries.

ââ¬ÅâœThey have intimated to me that should reciprocal measures come into effect, the hassle and cost involved in obtaining visas will make it prohibitive.

ââ¬ÅâœLocals, who depend upon the business and tips that tourists bring, will be the real ones to suffer from this political decision. 

ââ¬ÅâœAITO has also recently accepted inbound UK companies to the membership and these companies will suffer directly from the drop in tourism to the UK.

ââ¬ÅâœWe sympathise with UKinbound. The economic climate is difficult enough at the present time without additional hurdles being put in place.ââ¬~

by Phil Davies 

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• Holidaymakers != Immigrants
  
  

  Just adding a comment to Richard English's excellent summary. The UK Govt. seems to be labouring under the misapprehension (and for some time now), that visa reform is all about immigration. However, since the UK Govt. has now made it extremely difficult for my wife (Russian) to get a tourist visa for the UK (VACs, fingerprinting, etc., etc.) we will simply not visit the UK from our home in Germany except when absolutely necessary. What's the point in applying for a 6-month Family Permit when we only want to visit for 3 days? There are plenty of nice Schengen countries to visit on holidays where we can spend our hard-earned euros.

  By Travel Mole, Monday, July 21, 2008
• Customer care....?
  
  

  The problem is that Governments, and their departments like visa offices, do not regard their users as customers. They believe that they are simply "applicants" who have no option but to use their services. They believe they have a monopoly. Thus, in my experience visa offices are unhelpful, unfriendly and arrogant; the visas themselves are grossly overpriced, unnecessarily complex to obtain and largely irrelevant. And, of course, if someone needs a visa for business reasons then the visa departments are probably correct; they do have a monopoly. But for holidaymakers the situation is quite different. There are few if any places in the world that are so unique on their attractions that holidaymakers can find no alternative - and we all know that this is just what they do. And the UK is not exempt from this basic rule of customer behaviour; if family of five finds that it will cost over a thousand pounds for visas -http://www.travelmole.com/stories/1129964.php - then that family will surely look to travel elsewhere. Governments who try to treat travellers like milk cows will probably end up with empty pails.

  By Richard English, Sunday, July 20, 2008