Fifth International Conference on Tourism & Leisure Studies

Abstract

As the advent of travel continues to increase, tourism continues to expand, becoming the fastest growing economic activity globally. With this growth comes the need for increased visa facilitation, and improvement of the present visa processes, as well as requirements linked to the process. Currently, in order to apply for a visa, consumers have to complete and submit an application: online application completion and submission, visit a website to download the application form(s), physically visit an embassy/consulate, or utilize the services of a third party company to submit the application. Thereafter, there is a great chance the consumer might have to appear in person at the consulate/embassy for an in-person interview. There is a need to streamline the visa application process so that it is more efficient for both applicants as well as embassies. This paper aims to fill the gap by introducing the Virtual Embassy concept. This concept promises to bring all embassies to an applicant’s fingertips, while making embassies more efficient in the process. The Virtual Embassy enables individuals to complete one application form which can be disseminated virtually to one or more consulate(s) of choice, without requiring extensive travel to embassies, or to manually complete multiple visa application forms. This is a paradigm-shifting concept that will contribute significantly towards globalization, global economy, and socio-cultural integration. It will lead to a reduction in cost, time, and resource usage, creating increased tourist demand to countries, which will have a positive effect internationally, while boosting global economies.