Peru, Colombia and Ecuador Collaborate on Smart Visa System

Gathered today in Lima at the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Summit, ministers of tourism and government representatives from the tourism sector of Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador have agreed to collaborate on the implementation of a joint smart visa system. The system will allow visitors to the region to benefit from a facilitated and more secure entry.

The Letter of Intent on Smart Tourism, signed today, recognizes the importance of tourism to integrate and develop the region. The ministers and government representatives expressed their willingness to give the tourism sector a new boost by promoting tourism activities and maximizing the use of technology to improve efficiency in the existing visa processes. Adopting an electronic visa system will contribute to the growth of the tourism sector and, by extension, to the economic development and exchanges among these nations.

As a first step in establishing the electronic visa system, the tourism ministers and government representatives will commence collaboration among the relevant government entities in their countries. The objective is to remove barriers and obstacles to the mobility of international tourists and to improve social and economic development in the region.