While welcoming significantly fewer tourists than neighbors such as Brazil, Argentina, and Peru, the South American country of Bolivia has risen in popularity among more adventurous travelers seeking new destinations.
With many coming from nearby South American countries, the 984,000 international visitors pumped over $736 million into the Bolivian economy, reports America Economia.
A landlocked country with no access to the sea, Bolivia is known for national wonders such as the Salar de Uyuni salt flats and Lake Titicaca in the Andes. The capital city of La Paz also features the Mi Teleférico cable car system running through the entire city.
Citizens of these countries can now travel to Bolivia without a visa
As part of its efforts to further grow its tourist numbers, the Bolivian government just revealed that it’s scrapping its previous visa requirement for citizens of countries such as the United States, South Korea, South Africa, and Israel coming in for short tourist visits.
Reasons for each country’s previous exclusion from Bolivia’s visa-free program differ. In 2008, then-president Evo Morales expelled the U.S. ambassador and representatives of the Drug Enforcement Agency over accusations of riling up his political opposition, according to The Guardian.
Morales resigned in 2019 and is currently in hiding in a remote part of the country amid an arrest warrant, The New York Times reports.
“Bolivia is leaving behind ideological barriers that do nothing to support the country’s development, and is choosing openness, integration, and international cooperation,” Foreign Minister Fernando Aramayo said in a formal announcement.
“There are no longer any political criteria holding back our growth or our relationship with the world.”
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The other four countries whose citizens will no longer need to apply for tourist visas include Bulgaria, Romania, Malta, and the United Arab Emirates.
The decision comes as part of a “Bolivia to the World, The World to Bolivia” initiative meant to drive tourism to the country. According to Aramayo, it is expected to bring up to $80 million USD into the country’s economy by 2030 as more foreign visitors use the eased entry requirements to pay a visit.
Many cometo Bolivia to experience the Salar de Uyuni salt flats, known for their mirror effect.
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Traveling to Bolivia? What to know about the changed visa requirements
Amid a sudden drop in natural gas exports, MSN reports that Bolivia is in the midst of a severe financial crisis, in which any diversification of the economy would be very welcome.
The change came into effect on Dec. 1 and is valid for stays of up to 90 days, in the same way that U.S. travelers can visit the countries making up the European Union, as well as many other nations with friendly relations, for three months without a visa.
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Visitors who do not require visas still need to register their passport and identity information online prior to arrival and have a passport with a validity of at least six months.
Those looking to stay longer than 90 days or come into Bolivia for work or study purposes still need to apply for a traditional visa at their local embassy or consulate.
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