WITC seeks simpler visa procedure to bolster tourism

G20 tourism ministers concluded their meeting in Mexico yesterday, emphasizing tourism’s role in accelerating economic growth and creating more jobs.
Prince Sultan bin Salman, chairman of Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA), attended the conference and urged countries to take immediate and serious steps to ease any impact from the global economic crisis on the tourism sector.
During discussions, Prince Sultan stressed the importance of tourism as an engine for achieving sustainable development.
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) said it believed easier visa procedures are important and integral to stimulating economic growth and job creation throughout the tourism industry.
The WTTC argued that the G20 countries, which consists of many of the major economies in the world has an important duty to help boost their international tourist numbers.
Research by the WTTC stated that the G20 could boost tourism numbers by an additional 122 million, generating an extra $206 billion in tourism exports and creating over five million additional jobs by 2015.