Paper by Asta Adukaite, Elmira Gazizova, Lorenzo Cantoni from Università della Svizzera italiana (USI Lugano, Switzerland), presented at ICEGOV, the 8th International Conferences on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance (Guimarães, Portugal).

1. Asta Adukaite, Elmira Gazizova, Lorenzo Cantoni
Università della Svizzera italiana (USI Lugano, Switzerland)
UNESCO chair in ICT to develop and promote sustainable
tourism in World Heritage Sites
webatelier.net ¦ lorenzo.cantoni@usi.ch ¦ @lorenzocantoni
When eGov Deals With Tourists
The Case of Visa Information

2. Source: UNWTO
TOURISM AND GOVERNMENT _1

3. Contribution to GDP and Employment (source: WTTC 2014)
«Hot» issues: taxation, privacy, data availability, …
TOURISM AND GOVERNMENT _2

4. E-tourism and e-government
• G2G
– Sharing tourism data
• G2B activities
– Updated statistical information
– Shared platform for eCommerce
– General services (e.g.: taxation, authorization, etc.)
– “Listening activities”: meaningful aggregate of e-Word of Mouth
– Traingin foreign travel agents on how to sell a country/destination
(www.elearning4tourism.com)
• G2C
– Info/promotions to prospects/tourists (e.g.: national portals; DMS; mobile
apps; online campaigns; …)
– Providing info and support to own citizens abroad
– Promoting the image of the country
– Custom and immigration services

5. “everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the
borders of each state. Everyone has the right to leave any country, including
his own, and to return to his country” (United Nations Universal Declaration
of Human Rights – 1948)
Ensuring security and being welcoming
THE CASE FOR VISA

6. RQs
• Which are the main information pieces about
Visa (and related services) that can be offered
online by National Tourism Offices (NTOs) to
foreign tourists?
• Do different NTOs provide different online info
and services in this field?

7. Info availability
• 196 United Nations member states
• 176 provide an official NTO website
– 20 countries don’t (Angola, Benin, Cape Verde, Central
African Rep., Chad, Congo, Djibouti, Equat. Guinea,
Eritrea, Iraq, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal,
Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Turkmenistan)
• 165 websites do offer visa information
– 11 don’t offer (Afghanistan, Antigua & Barbuda, East
Timor, Gambia, Haiti, Liberia, Nepal, Paraguay, Russian
Fed., Rwanda, and Venezuela)
• www.visa4tourism.com

8. Macro-category Category %
General Info
Link to Ministry of FAA 46
Check visa requirements on your own 55
Downloadable brochure 1
List of Embassies abroad 14
List of Diplomatic Missions 9
Bilateral Agreements (e.g.: Schengen States) 7
Visa Type
Transit visa 10
Tourist Card 4
Diplomatic visa 6
Joint tourist visa 1
Visa Application
Apply in Embassy/Consulate 53
Visa on Arrival 30
Apply online 7
eVisa 4
Download PDF/Word application form 6
Timing
Organize visa in advance 10
Visa Issue time 11
Length of stay 45
Visa validity 18
Visa extension 26
Overstay (fines/penalties) 5
Document requirements
Passport/ID 73
Invitation Letter/Sponsorship 8
Application Form 16
Photo 18
Police record/criminal check 1
Return ticket 29
Accommodation 3
Proof of sufficient funds 17
Vaccination certificate 11
Visa fee 25
General settings
Language choice 98
Alert information 17
6 macro-categories
34 categories

9. Asta Adukaite, Elmira Gazizova, Lorenzo Cantoni
Università della Svizzera italiana (USI Lugano, Switzerland)
UNESCO chair in ICT to develop and promote sustainable
tourism in World Heritage Sites
webatelier.net ¦ lorenzo.cantoni@usi.ch ¦ @lorenzocantoni
When eGov Deals With Tourists
The Case of Visa Information