Kenya to scrap visas for all visitors, President William Ruto says

[Hoas]

Kenya to scrap visas for all visitors, president says

The tourism industry plays a vital role in Kenya's economy, offering beach holidays along its Indian Ocean coastline and wildlife safaris inland

www.tbsnews.net

The tourism industry plays a vital role in Kenya's economy, offering beach holidays along its Indian Ocean coastline and wildlife safaris inland.

Visitors to Kenya from across the world will no longer require a visa from January, President William Ruto said on Tuesday.

Ruto said his government had developed a digital platform to ensure all visitors would receive an electronic travel authorization in advance, instead of needing to apply for a visa.

"It shall no longer be necessary for any person from any corner of the globe to carry the burden of applying for a visa to come to Kenya," he said in a speech in the capital Nairobi at an event to mark 60 years of independence from Britain.

 

[dchum]

I think hunters should stop doing side trips to Kenya and be smart with where we put our money.

Kenya is still fighting against hunting and trying to spread its anti hunting culture to other African nations environmental departments

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

My wife and I went to the Maasai Mara in Kenya and it was one of the most memorable trips I've ever had. Highly recommend Kenya for a photo safari! When we landed at Nairobi, the visa was obtained at the immigration desk and getting through the airport was a breeze.

KENYA: Maasai Mara Photo Safari June 2017

While not exactly a hunting report, since no hunting is allowed in Kenya, I wanted to share some photos and words about my recent trip to Masai Mara, Kenya. Call it a scouting trip for a future Tanz hunt. My wife is a non-hunter and has accompanied me on a hunt to Namibia a few years ago. She...

www.africahunting.com

 

[steve white]

That would make it easy to add an extra leg onto African travel.

 

[Pilgrim]

The visa kept us from visiting Kenya this year on the way home from RSA, or rather an application that needed a correction but nobody to approve it on the weekend (visa on arrival was no longer). If they want people to spend money in their country they need to make it easy to enter, I see this as a good move on their part.

 

[mdwest]

The visa kept us from visiting Kenya this year on the way home from RSA, or rather an application that needed a correction but nobody to approve it on the weekend (visa on arrival was no longer). If they want people to spend money in their country they need to make it easy to enter, I see this as a good move on their part.

What country are you from?

US Citizens used to be able to get visas upon arrival… did they get rid of that?

 

[Pilgrim]

They did get rid of it, as of a year or two ago. If we would have had a longer connection time we probably would have tried to see if they would let us in anyway.

 

[baxterb]

Really interesting. When I went I got a visa ahead of time, and when I arrived, the girls who met me at the airport sent me to the diplomat line. I got through quick as you please.

And I disagree with not going to Kenya because they do not hunt. There are many hunting-sympathetic people (they hunt elsewhere) there if you know where to look and giving them money to keep them afloat sounds like a reasonable thing to do to see some great country.

 

[Altitude sickness]

I am guilty of visiting Tsavo for photos only. I wouldn’t do it again.

Funding the non hunting eco tourism only prolongs the decline of some species there.

Mombasa was cool to visit. Hopefully they eventually change course as Botswana did. Doubtful

 

[flatwater bill]

I think requiring a visa is a small but effective deterrent to tourism. Getting rid of it is a great idea. Heck, we don't even require a passport to live in the USA.............FWB