I’m Miguel Centellas, a political science professor at Mount St. Mary’s University. Because of academic interests, I post frequently on Bolivian politics. I also occasionally discuss interesting books, pop culture, and daily life in Baltimore.
Bolivia has approved a measure to require visas for US tourists into Bolivia. The measure is in response to longstanding US travel visa requirements for Bolivian citizens. The move, of course, has symbolic resonance, which makes it a “winner” in populist terms. But what would the effects be?
According to Bolivia’s tourism minister, 40,000 US citizens visit Bolivia every year (which accounts for 9.7% of all tourists), making it second in visitors to Bolivia only to Peru (which accounts for 17.6% of tourists). That’s a sizeable contingent of tourists. If we assume that the “average” US tourist spends $1,000 per visit (adding up hotels, food, souvenirs, and other goods & services). That adds up to $40 million. If only half of those tourists no longer arrive, Bolivia is looking at a potential loss of $20 million per year. (I’d be curious to see the actual figures.)
Am I exaggerating? I don’t think so. The new requirements would include not only a $134 fee for entering the country (on top of the current $40-50 “airport tax” fee for leaving the country), but also a number of requirements not common to the average American traveler (such as proof of no criminal record and evidence of hotel reservations for the duration of the entire stay). The requirements won’t hinder visitors w/ long-standing plans, of course. But it will mean that backpackers in Argentina, Peru, or Chile won’t think to hop over the border for a few days.
In other words the most affected group will be young backpackers. Exactly the kind of tourist who spends more time off the beaten path, putting more money directly into local economies (as opposed to hotel chains in large cities). Which also means that the sector of the Bolivian economy most affected will include the small tourism industry, such as in rural, off-the-beaten-path areas.
The new measure is set to go into effect December of 2007.
When I did my fieldwork in Bolivia, to obtain my temporary residency visa, I had to provide such proof. Basically, I paid a "fee" to have the Bolivian PTJ (the "technical juridical" police) "research" me w/ Interpol. There were a few other requirements—like my paying, in cash (directly to the officer's hand, of course) for a "visit" to my apartment (I never saw anyone make a visit). Overall, the whole process took me a little over three months & numerous visits (or "wated research days") to the immigration ministry.
Basically? It's a source of graft shared between PTJ & immigration officials.
Glad I made my trip last month...but the $134 and jumping through hoops is a lot to swallow...it might give me some pause before planning to visit friends. Miguel, do you there will be a precipitous drop in tourism?
Posted by
galloglass
September 12, 2007 10:50 AM
I do think this will discourate tourism (although the instability already discourages tourism, so it's hard to know which has a stronger independent effect). How much? That's hard to say.
My wife also suspects that the government won't actually go through w/ this, that it's just a PR stunt for a more quiet negotiation later, like w/ the gas (non-)"nationalization".
Look at the company we have in Visa Group III.(I'm sure Iran will move to Group I in the next few days.)
AFGANISTÁN, EST. ISLAM. DE ASIA
CAMBOYA, CONGO, COREA, REP. POP. DEM., IRÁN, REP. ISLÁMICA ,IRAQ, LAOS, LIBIA, PAKISTÁN, NIGERIA, SIRIA, SUDAN,
Posted by
galloglass
September 12, 2007 9:41 PM
Given Evo's pre-2003 travel habits, I expect to see Iran & Lybia (and perhaps a few others) moved into the Group 2 (or even 1?) list soon enough.
It would be interesting if the governments of the rebellious eastern departments blocked enforcement of this, in an attempt to woo American tourists, and spite the national government.
Posted by
Frank IBC
September 13, 2007 10:08 AM
I'm curious to know what proportion of the US citizens traveling to Bolivia are actually persons who were born in Bolivia and are visiting family and friends. I suspect that it's greater than half.
Posted by
Frank IBC
September 13, 2007 10:18 AM
Actually, I'm not really sure, Frank. It certainly would be worth exploring.
When I backpacked through South America, I was able to just hop a taxi or a bus across borders without too much problem. This would have ruined my chance at a trip to La Paz and Lake Titicaca. They should consider a way to get a visa at the border without some of the other obstacles (not that I could have afforded the cost as a college student.)
On the checking criminal record, I had to get a police check before I could get a student visa to Chile. My local police station in St. Louis did it, but it was an extra pain to get it done.
I don't think I needed it for a Chilean visa about ten years ago, though I suppose it's possible I've forgotten. But I agree that it could easily lead tourists to go to neighboring countries instead.
My wife also suspects that the government won't actually go through w/ this, that it's just a PR stunt for a more quiet negotiation later,
I tend to agree with your wife. Choquehuanca himself seems to have no idea on how this visa nonsense is actually going to be implemented. He was quoted saying that it will be possible to obtain the visa at any entry point, but this seems incompatible with the absurd document requirements. Also, the tourism minister said to the press that nothing is definite yet. I expect that in the end there will be a face-saving compromise, like keeping the $134 fee but reducing or removing the other requirements altogether.
All this is political posturing. It is not clear to me what are they gaining with that, thought, other than a childish getting even with the U.S. Both the "reciprocity" and "security" arguments they have put forward are so obviously bogus.
Although I do not have any hard numbers to backup my claim, I believe, based on anecdotic evidence, that the great majority of the travelers affected by the visa measure will be Bolivian-Americans and their families.
Posted by
Jorge
September 15, 2007 5:05 PM
Hey Miguel, do you have Bolivian and American citizenships? If so, why did you have to get a visa as you described in an earlier comment?
My wife (Yoli Zegarra) and I are hoping to get Bolivian citizenship for our two daughters thinking that with this they won't need to get a visa. Am I wrong?
BTW - This is essentially the second time they have announced they would require visas for Americans. The first time was back in January ... I am amazed that, having made a second announcement, they still are not ready to implement it. They've had all year to get this thing ready! In any event, I hope that your wife is right and this is all negotiated away somehow.
In part, I think they keep "announcing" the measure as a tactic. I don't think (perhaps this is more hope, than reason) the Bolivian government would do something as drastic.
As for Bolivian citizenship ... I don't technically have it. My Bolivian passport expired sometime after I came to the US, and I've just travelled on my US passport since then (besides, it's easier to travel to most places as a US citizen). At this point, to renew a Bolivian passport, I'd have to renew my Bolivian carnet (national ID), which requires a mess of paperwork (not to mention that I've never done military service in Bolivia). I tried starting the paperwork last time I was in Bolivia (this summer, a short two week visit to my parents), but it turned into a mess, and I didn't have time to really get it done right. Now I wish I had put the time in.
When I travelled to Bolivia in 2003-2004 on my Fulbright, I had to get a temporary residency visa, since I was staying longer than 90 days. Even that turned into a total mess, and I almost just gave up, ready to declare my passport "lost" to the US embassy (at one point, my passport really was lost, since no one in the immigration ministry could find it).
