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450,000 Tourists Annually Avoid Europe Due To Visa Problems |
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Wednesday, 13 October 2010 |
The European Tour Operators Association (ETOA) has recently released a report on visa applications that reveals that more than 450,000 tourists have avoided traveling to Europe because the process of applying for a visa is simply too difficult, time consuming, and unpleasant.
Travelers from India and China have a particularly difficult time cutting through the red tape, which is surprising since China has been recognized as one of the leading potential growth markets for European tourism. However, Chinese citizens must fill out all forms in English and go to an English consulate to be fingerprinted and questioned.
In Europe, the UK leads the way as the most likely destination that causes problems when visitors apply for a visa and second in line if France. The report states that more than 58,000 travelers actually cancelled their trip because the process of getting a visa was taking too long. The report also estimates that close to 314,000 didn't even bother applying. Germany stands out as the best at processing visas.
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