Around 13,000 citizens from various countries have already entered the country under the visa exemption measure for some countries introduced in May, the vast majority of them tourists, including from Portugal, according to figures 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 3,000 for business purposes", the minister said.

She also said that the figures represent a clear sign that the measures taken by the government are having an effect on boosting tourism.

The top five nationalities entering the country are American, British, Portuguese, Chinese and German, with 7,927 tourists since the visa exemption came into force last May, according to the government official.

The minister was speaking at the inauguration of the first flight on the Johannesburg - Vilankulo - Johannesburg route, which LAM is once again operating between the South African city and that tourist spot in Inhambane province.