Botswana halfhearted about the KAZA UNIVISA
Mompati Tlhankane | Monday January 29, 2024 09:56
The KAZA UNIVISA is aimed at facilitating easy movement of tourists between Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA). KAZA TFCA is a conservation area, spanning five Southern African countries; Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe, centred on the Caprivi-Chobe-Victoria Falls area.
KAZA UNIVISA on the other side is a pilot project between Zambia and Zimbabwe and was established on November 28, 2014. With the implementation of the KAZA UNIVISA tourists no longer have to apply for multiple visas, thus saving time and money and opening the doors to the free movement of tourists visiting the African wonderland.
This SADC initiative was to be rolled out to the rest of the SADC region following success in the KAZA TFCA but so far Botswana is still not part of it despite being a member of KAZA. During Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema’s working visit here this week, President Mokgweetsi Masisi said they are enthused by what Zambia has done with the UNIVISA. “We are learning and don’t be surprised if quickly we also partake in that,” Masisi briefly said. Commenting on the use of the UNIVISA, President Hichilema said since they pushed the UNIVISA agenda they have seen a huge uplift in the tourism sector. “We have also extended it beyond the UNIVISA to also not charge any fees on other tourists.
As a result arrival numbers, occupancies have gone up, length of stay has increased, and outdoor activities have also gone up meaning revenue has increased. Tourist enterprises are employing more people,” he disclosed. Hichilema revealed that he discussed the UNIVISA with Masisi in a mild way during the talks and therefore believed that he will engage further as they push to ease movement of people. Before the UNIVISA was introduced between Zambia and Zimbabwe, the KAZA TFCA, that was one of the major constraints in facilitating cross-border tourism development is the requirement for tourists to obtain visas specific to each of the countries.
KAZA UNIVISA is one of the initiatives that were set to contribute immensely to regional tourism growth by allowing travellers to easily move across the partner countries, without having to apply for an entry visa into each country. This initiative was expected to increase tourist arrivals and the period of stay in the region and ultimately increase tourism receipts and Gross Domestic Product (GDP).