Rwanda, kenya and Uganda have agreed to start issuing foreigners in possession of valid work or resident permit an East Africa tourism visa for six months.

This implies that the cross-border visa between the three Northern Corridor states, which costs $100 and is valid for 90 days for a foreigner, will still cost the same but be extended for six months for foreign residents in any of the three states.

The visa can be accessed on www.visiteastafrica.org

The East Africa Tourism Visa, which came into force early this year, was borne of a joint initiative by Heads of State of the three countries.

Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) managing director Muriithi Ndegwa said preferential treatment to foreigners in the member states would entice them to tour and extend their stay within the Northern Corridor States.

"These expatriates form a bulk of travellers in any destination and the six- month long tourism Visa will go a long way in tapping into this potential group,” Ndegwa said in a statement released at the weekend.

Amb. Yamina Karitanyi, the head tourism and conservation at Rwanda Development Board, said the development means that any foreign holder of the East Africa Tourist Visa would move freely to and fro any of the three countries without having to pay for an extra visa for six months.

"They have a longer period to visit any of the tourism products in any or all the states combined. This is also a good opportunity for our tour operators to offer experience packages and itineraries combining the three countries,” Amb. Karitanyi said.

Increased business

Uganda Tourism Board chief executive Stephen Asiimwe said this was a great development for tourism in the region and regional co-operation.

The preferential treatment initiative, Asiimwe said, means increased business for hotels, airlines, travel operators, service industry and jobs.

"The residents also get to sample and have an experiential taste of the great variety of the wildlife, culture, history and heritage that the region has to offer,” Asiimwe said.

The introduction of the visa will enhance the tourist product offering in the three countries.

According to RDB, from January to March, Rwanda received 305,752 visitors and $75.1 million in receipts compared to 291,418 visitors and receipts totalling $71.5 million in the same period last year, indicating a 5-per cent increase.

The noticeable increase of travellers from the region has been partly attributed to the visa initiative as well as better and diversified packages in all the three countries.

Judith Achieng, a Kenyan national living in Kigali and a lecturer at Mount Kenya University, said the new initiative will also make tourists stay longer in the region.