A budget execution report by the Ministry of Economy and Finance states that 559 jobs were created in the sector, compared to 470 in the same period in 2023, with private investment more than tripling in a year, to 1.3 billion meticais (18.7 million euros) from January to March.

"66 ventures started operating, compared to 42 ventures in the first quarter of 2023, 28 of which were in accommodation, 33 in catering and beverages and five travel agencies, which corresponds to an increase of 57.1%. The openings increased capacity by 414 rooms, compared to 323 in the first quarter of 2023, which represents a growth of 28.2%", the report also justifies.

Mozambique issued almost 30 thousand border visas in 2023, since the implementation of the decision to facilitate and exempt visas for tourists from low-risk countries, in May of last year, according to previous government data.

In the budget execution balance report for the fourth quarter of 2023, the government recalls that "an online visa request platform was created and tourist and business visas were exempted for a list of low-risk countries", in a total of 29 states, which "resulted in the issuing of 28,963 visas requested by visitors", until December.

"The measure has made Mozambique more competitive and facilitated access to the country for potential investors", the document also reads.

The Mozambican government had already stated in the budget execution report for the third quarter that the decision to facilitate and exempt visas for tourists from low-risk countries increased the number of visits to the country by 34% in the first 90 days of implementation of the measure.

In December 2022, Mozambique introduced the Electronic Visa (e-Visa) and on 1 May the visa exemption for citizens of 29 countries, in addition to having also revised the measure of granting investment visas for longer periods to foreign citizens who hold investments in Mozambique, simplifying the attribution requirements.

The government estimates an "average expenditure" per visitor of 110 dollars and an average visit time of four days, so each visitor represents 440 dollars "of new funds" for the economy.

"The increase in visitors to the country due to this measure represents a growth in the sector and a multiplier effect on the Mozambican economy", the budget execution report for the third quarter adds.

The Mozambican government had announced in August that more than 13,000 foreign citizens had entered Mozambique under the visa exemption measure for some countries introduced in May, the vast majority of them tourists, including from Portugal.

According to data provided by the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Eldevina Materula, of these exemptions, with visas granted at the border, "more than 10,000" entered Mozambique "for tourism purposes and the remaining three thousand for business".

"This is a clear sign that the measures taken by the government are having an effect on boosting our sector. With these measures, we clearly have a new pattern of tourists, with the American, British, Portuguese, Chinese and German nationalities standing out as the top five entries into Mozambique", the minister said in August.

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