World Bank cautions on visa policy shift

Malawi’s recent decision to revoke visa‑free access for key international markets has raised concerns about the country’s tourism prospects and broader economic diversification efforts. Under the revised policy, only countries within regional blocs or those offering Malawians visa‑free entry are exempt, leaving out high-value source markets. World Bank, in its analysis on the new visa requirements contained in the February 2026 Malawi Economic Monitor, said restrictive visa policies could reduce Malawi’s competitiveness in the regional tourism market and limit visitor arrivals.

“While the full economic impact of this shift remains uncertain, the policy appears misaligned with Malawi’s strategic prioritisation of tourism and the importance of increased foreign exchange generation. “For a country seeking economic diversification, tourism revenues, employment, and associated tax contributions significantly outweigh the limited fiscal gains from restrictive visa requirements.” The bank said Malawi could mitigate tourism losses by implementing targeted exemptions, streamlining visa processes and expanding visas on arrival to improve access for priority visitors while maintaining security and economic goals. According to the bank, countries that have relaxed entry requirements see sustained growth while restrictive policies often lead to stagnation.

According to the data, Zambia expanded visa-free access to 167 countries, increasing arrivals from 554 000 in 2021 to over 2.2 million in 2024, while Tanzania and Seychelles also saw notable growth compared to Mauritius, which experienced stagnant tourism under stricter visa rules. Industry commentator and Orbis Destination Management Company managing director Innocent Kaliati observed that the policy shift would make it hard to sell Malawi as a tourist destination. He said: “The policy shift could reduce Malawi’s competitiveness in tourism compared to neighboring countries.” Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Decentralisation Joseph Mwanamvekha announced in the Mid-year Budget Review Statement in November that tourists from 70 countries, including the United Kingdom, China, Russia and Southern African Development Community and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa countries, will be required to pay visa fee to enter Malawi, two years after the government lifted restriction.

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Ironically, following the removal of restrictions in 2024, Malawi improved its rank on openness as the 2024 Africa Visa Openness Index ranked the country on position 22 from 25 out of 54 economies. The index, jointly produced by the African Development Bank and the African Union Commission to evaluate accessibility of African countries based on visa policies, indicated that people from 17 African countries did not need a visa to enter Malawi. Meanwhile, Malawi’s tourism sector has registered strong recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic with its contribution to the economy now exceeding pre-pandemic levels, published Treasury data has shown.

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