TBM Staff - Mumbai
South Africa is set to ease visa regulations for visitors from India and China to attract more tourists from these populous nations. Currently, travellers from many Western countries, including the US and UK, can visit South Africa without a visa for short stays, while Indian and Chinese tourists face significant red tape, requiring prior authorisation.
To address this, the Department of Home Affairs will introduce a Trusted Tour Operators system starting in January. This initiative will allow vetted tour operators to facilitate travel for groups from India and China, streamlining the process and making it more appealing for potential visitors. South Africa’s Home Minister, Leon Schreiber, noted that simplifying visa access is essential, especially as other countries like Thailand have successfully attracted Indian tourists with easier visa policies.
In addition to these changes, South Africa plans to implement an electronic travel authorisation system in the future, indicating a move towards more modernised travel facilitation. The current Trusted Tour Operators program is intended to be a temporary measure to boost tourism while these broader reforms are enacted.
The initiative comes amid a broader strategy to enhance South Africa’s tourism sector, which has lagged behind other major markets, particularly from India and China. Last year, South Africa welcomed only about 80,000 tourists from India and 37,000 from China, compared to around 350,000 visitors from the US and UK each. Schreiber emphasised that increasing the number of tourists from these markets represents significant growth potential for the South African economy.
