The lawmaker representing Bayelsa
East Senatorial district in the National Assembly, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce has
called for lenient visa policy as a way of boosting Nigeria’s tourism industry
which has the potential to significantly increase
the nation’s economy.
Murray-Bruce, in his trademark
series of tweets which began on Thursday expressed sadness over reports that
foreigners find it difficult to secure Nigerian visa, insisting that Nigeria
should even be visa-free just like Dubai which is open to the world for
business.
The tweets read, “By making her
visa policy lenient, UAE has attracted the world’s business and tourist
visitors. Nigeria can learn from them,” the senator wrote.
“By opening her borders to the
world UAE’s economy has more than doubled. Over 30% of her GDP is from her
aviation industry.
“We do not have to reinvent the
wheel in Nigeria. We can just replicate what has been done successfully in
Dubai.
“Gambia liberalized its visa
policy early. The result is that tourism is the number 1 foreign exchange
earner in that nation.
“Kenya has a liberal visa policy
that is raking in dollars for her economy. Just
like us, they also grapple with
terrorism. Kenya makes a little over $1 Billion per annum from tourism. This is
a country that is grappling with terrorism as we are.
“To put things into perspective,
tourism is to Gambia and Kenya what oil is to
Nigeria. Oil isn’t a renewable
resource. It will finish. Tourism is a renewable resource. As an economic
mainstay, its safer than oil,” the Senator tweeted.
Credit: Daily Post
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