This was confirmed by both ministers of Tourism and Home Affairs on Tuesday,
at the annual Meetings Africa.
During her address Patricia De Lille, responsible for Tourism said, finally we can open talks with other regions and Europeans to visit our country, other than China and India, and possibly reach over an ambitious 15million tourist mark by 2030.
“We’ve worked tirelessly to finally complete the VISA issue, and we can now invite the world to come to our shores without the hassle of a VISA, which has been a bone of contention in growing our tourism sector for years,” whose counterpart Leon Schreiber, minister of Home Affairs, concurred it was a ‘tedious exercise but worth pursuing’.
Language continues to be a barrier, but now that this has been resolved after years’, we will support the Tourism and business sectors to open talks with all countries to our shores to ramp up tourist numbers,” says Schreiber, gleefully.
The Trusted Tour Operators Scheme (TTOS) concept was also unveiled that would focus on ensuring that tour operators meet high safety and accountability standards.
The MA held at the Sandton Convention Center, over two-days, is set to revolutionise South Africa’s tourism sector, following the introduction of VISA processing.
“Visa inefficiency has long been a barrier to growth, especially for key markets like China and India. With TTOS, we are digitally transforming our visa processes, sometimes issuing visas within three days or even hours. This rapid digital transformation not only eases entry for international visitors but also bolsters investor confidence,” commented Schreiber, who also made a mention the department will be searching for young IT graduates to be part of this revolution.
As ‘low hanging fruit’ China and India are part of BRICS and TTOS provide a broader framework of global visa reforms. “Other BRICS countries have long benefited from more flexible visa regimes,” continued De Lille.
“By relaxing visa conditions for major markets, such as China and India, we are opening our doors wider and creating a breakthrough for our tourism sector.”
South Africa recorded 9 million visitors in 2024 and for every 12 tourists, one job is created and it is anticipated by 2030 a 15million tourist target number will be reached.
It was also revealed the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) digital system that would help eliminate paper-based processes and minimise
corruption.
An elated Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa, CEO of the Tourism Business Council of
South Africa (TBCSA), says the introduction of the VISA processing would
help to draw tourists this way (SA).
“We’ve been punting for the introduction of this system, but politically has been dragging. Finally, I can look forward to economic growth and improvement that would sustain our communities and businesses, with trust.”
Tshivhengwa’s address was more on trust than anything else, in that business, Gvt and tour operators should work in tandem, than in silos.
“Its embarrassing receiving a call that some tour operator has not fulfilled his or her duty and has short-changed tourists,” he said. This follows reports of bogus operators who swindled tourists their hard-earned money.
It boils down to trust, emphasised Tshivhengwa, who also cautioned that SMEs and tour operators should be capacitated when advocating for business abroad.
“I believe we could actually surpass the 15million tourist target number, because we’ve got all the resources and support from Gvt and other tourism related organisations, he told SLM.
“Digitalisation is the lowest hanging fruit in our journey toward a modernised tourism system,” continued Schreiber. “It ensures that every traveller who wishes to visit South Africa can do so quickly and securely.”
De Lille indicated her meetings with airlines to discuss route development and enhanced connectivity, especially in Africa. “Airlines are a vital part of the tourism ecosystem.”
“While the visa exemption is a significant breakthrough, it must be supported by robust air access”, she said.
“This is not just about policy; it is about ensuring that every tour operator, every digital process, and every flight connection contributes to a safe, efficient system. Our aim is to not only attract more tourists but also to ensure that the economic benefits of tourism reach every corner of our country, from urban centres to villages, townships, and small dorpies,” noted ‘aunt’ De Lille, as she’s known by her peers.
The troubled airline SAFAIR representatives were in attendance.
Lawson Naidoo, executive secretary at the Council for the Advancement of
the SA Constitution, heaped praise on the VISA exemption as it will
propel tourists to SA in 2027 for the Cricket World Cup.
“These augurs well for our country since we’re a madly sporting nation; and the exemption of VISA will stand us in good stead from sport tourism perspective since already rugby, soccer, and cricket contribute significantly income to our GDP,” quipped Naidoo, also non-executive Director at South African Tourism.
The VISA exemption promises increased investment, sustainable growth, and shared prosperity a central tenet of the Government of National Unity’s approach to inclusive growth and job creation.
Over 27 countries are attending the two-day gathering, that wraps up on
Wednesday 26.
Image SLM (Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber, on podium, Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa, CEO- TBCSA, and Tourism Minister Patricia De Lille, at the MA media engagement in Sandton).
