UAE nationals will be able to fly direct to the islands of Mauritius without needing a visa when a new bilateral agreement comes into effect next month.

The policy has been forged between Air Mauritius, Emirates airline and the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing. It will begin on October 31 when the first direct flight from Mauritius touches down in Dubai.

Mauritius's Minister of Labour and Industrial Relations, Showk-utally Soodhun, said the new service was the result of 15 years of negotiations.

"It's taken a very long time to forge this agreement because the carrier, Air Mauritius, is a private airline, and it needed the backing of the government to initiate the bilateral terms," he said.

"Once this was established, we then started a joint venture with Emirates which means ultimately we will share equally six direct flights a week between Dubai and Mauritius.

"As part of the package, UAE nationals will also be allowed to enter Mauritius without any need of a visa," But he added that a reciprocal agreement for traffic without visas travelling from Mauritius to Dubai has not yet been established.

Soodhun said he estimated a high level of tourism from Maur-itius to Dubai. "Dubai investors will also be able to obtain special packages from the Mauritius Government."