South Africa plans to ease visa rules for from India, China tourists

Travelers from many Western countries, including the US and UK, can visit South Africa without needing a visa for short stays.

However, tourists from India and China must get authorization before they travel, which can be a barrier. To attract more visitors from these two populous nations, South Africa plans to ease visa rules soon.

The changes to tourism visas are part of broader reforms in South Africa’s immigration policies. Since Leon Schreiber became home minister in June, he has made it easier to obtain work permits, aiming to address a skills shortage in the country.

The challenges in getting tourism visas are evident in visitor statistics. Last year, about 350,000 tourists came from the US and UK, along with 245,000 from Germany. In contrast, only about 80,000 visitors arrived from India and 37,000 from China.

“We believe that this is an opportunity to significantly boost the South African economy,” Schreiber stated.

Starting in January, the Department of Home Affairs will implement a Trusted Tour Operators system. This system will vet tour operators who will manage tour groups from India and China.

Countries like Thailand have successfully attracted Indian tourists by easing visa rules. Peru and Morocco are also expanding their travel offices in India. Saudi Arabia aims to increase Indian tourists from 1.5 million to 7.5 million annually by 2030, introducing new visa options and a four-day stopover visa for long-haul flights.

“Tourism is a key strength for South Africa, and we should be excelling in this area,” Schreiber said in an interview. “However, statistics show that we lag behind major source markets like China and India.”

The government plans to eventually adopt an electronic travel authorization system, and the Trusted Tour Operators program will be a temporary measure.

News Source: Bloomberg

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