The Prime Minister of Mauritius has emphasised the key role played by tourism in the East African island republic and announced the introduction of a digital recognition system and a new electronic travel authorisation platform, aimed at streamlining arrival procedures for both tourists and Mauritians travelling abroad.
Speaking at a Golden Jubilee event, Prime Minister Dr Navinchandra Ramgoolam hailed tourism as one of the fastest and most effective engines of job creation in the island nation. The sector, he said, represents a major economic opportunity capable of supporting the rebalancing of the country’s economy. He also took the chance to call for greater collaboration between the public and private sectors that “will elevate the industry to new heights.”
In what he recognised as a highly competitive international market, Ramgoolam noted the 1.4 million tourist arrivals in Mauritius in 2025 and expressed ambitions to further enhance the island’s reputation for a high-end visitor experience, based on a strategy marrying together sustainability, diversity, and authenticity.
Alongside improvements to airport infrastructure, digital connectivity, and development of the nation’s legal framework, Ramgoolam said the proposed brand-new digital recognition and electronic travel authorisation system would boost Mauritius’ position on the worldwide tourism map.
The overhaul of Mauritian entry procedures is expected to remodel entry and exit procedures for all travellers, slashing wait times and bureaucracy for visitors and Mauritian nationals. But while details and a timeframe are yet to be announced, Mauritian entry protocols remain unchanged.
A majority of foreign arrivals to Mauritius enjoy visa-free entry for short stays, and others must either apply for an advance visa or go through the process on arrival. An element of digitisation already exists in the form of a Mauritius All-in-One Digital Travel Form to be completed before the journey commences to obtain a PDF with a QR code for presentation to health authorities on arrival. Not completing this before setting out means dealing with paper landing cards that are time-consuming and inefficient.
Ramgoolam’s promise of digitisation came at a Golden Jubilee event marking the 50th anniversary of Constance Hotels & Resorts at Constance Belle Mare Plage, attended by an audience of public and private sector travel and tourism stakeholders. The CEO of Constance Group, Mr Clément Rey, also addressed the audience, celebrating Constance Group’s contribution to the national economy and confirming the group’s alignment with the government’s sustainable development approach.
