South Africa’s Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille, and Nombulelo Guliwe, CEO, South African Tourism, who are currently on a week-long visit to India have held a series of meetings with different stakeholders in Indian tourism industry as well as the leaderships of various airlines in the country as part of their objective to promote tourist arrivals from India to South Africa.

In a press statement, South African Tourism says that de Lille is leading a delegation, including Guliwe and other senior officials, to commemorate the enduring partnership between the two nations under the theme 30 Years of Diplomatic Relations, 30 Years of Democracy, and South Africa’s Assumption of the G20 Presidency in 2025, that emphasises robust ties between India and South Africa, built on a shared history of democratic values and mutual respect.

The statement adds that while addressing the media in Mumbai, de Lille emphasised promising discussions with top Indian airlines regarding a potential code-sharing partnership aimed at strengthening ties between India and South Africa.

Additionally, she mentioned that South Africa is gearing up to host the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup in 2027, leveraging the tournament to attract cricket enthusiasts and capitalise on the rising demand for experience-driven travel. She also highlighted the significant progress made in addressing visa and air travel challenges faced by Indian tourists.

The statement adds that South Africa is set to introduce an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), enabling individuals to apply directly for their visas and streamlining the process. Additionally, the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS), scheduled to launch in January 2025, will simplify group visa applications and expedite processing times.

According to South African Tourism, currently, Indian tourists represent only 3.9 pc of total arrivals, with a goal to increase this figure to 10 pc by next year. The South African Minister is hoping the introduction of visas will ease the application processes and expect to enhance tourism ties between the two nations significantly. South Africa prepares to assume the G20 Presidency in 2025 and is committed to fostering global partnerships that promote sustainable development, shared prosperity, and stronger people-to-people connections.

Patricia de Lille

“India and South Africa’s relationship has deep roots in history, and this visit provides an opportunity to deepen our collaboration across critical sectors. This visit is also an opportunity to collaborate with India’s travel trade partners, ensuring seamless and enriching travellers’ journeys while fostering meaningful cultural and economic exchanges. Indian travellers bring immense vibrancy to our tourism ecosystem, and we look forward to welcoming them to explore the soul of South Africa while creating lasting memories. Additionally, initiatives such as the More & More brand campaign, multi-city roadshows, ‘Corporate Think Tank’, and ‘Learn SA’ reflect South African Tourism’s commitment to creatively showcasing the Rainbow Nation to Indian travellers. These efforts aim to improve accessibility while exploring opportunities for direct flight routes, fostering stronger tourism and trade ties between South Africa and India,” says de Lille.

Nombulelo Guliwe

“Tourism acts as a gateway to building deeper connections between India and South Africa. By showcasing our country’s unmatched natural beauty, vibrant culture, and warm hospitality, we hope to inspire Indian travellers to explore the diverse experiences South Africa has to offer. We are committed to positioning South Africa as a top destination for Indian travellers, offering not only unforgettable leisure experiences but also avenues for adventure, wildlife exploration, and luxury tourism. Through innovations in visa facilitation and partnerships with Indian tour operators, we aim to make South Africa more accessible and attractive to this growing market. Year 2023 stood out as a significant milestone, highlighted by an impressive 43 pc increase in travellers from India compared to the previous year. Building on this success, our early 2024 roadshow facilitated over 12,000 meetings, generating more than 160,000 on-the-spot leads for South African Tourism. With this momentum, we are ambitiously targeting 100,000 Indian tourists by the end of FY 2024-25. South Africa witnessed a significant influx of tourists from India, with a total of 57,992 arrivals recorded from January to October 2024,” says Guliwe.

According to the statement, India has emerged as the 7th largest overseas international market for South Africa, reflecting its growing significance in bilateral travel ties. Notably, there has been a 25 pc year-on-year growth in Indian travellers aged 41–50, alongside a 10 pc increase in family travel to South Africa.

Among Indian visitors to the Rainbow Nation in 2024, Mumbai contributes the largest share at 64.3 pc, followed by Delhi. Leisure travel constitutes 38.8 pc of overall Indian arrivals, with 18.3 pc motivated by Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR). Additionally, the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) segment remains a key focus area, representing 19.1% of Indian travellers within the broader 49.7 pc MICE and business travel category. For the January to December 2024 period, South African Tourism has set an ambitious target of achieving a 15 pc growth in arrivals from India, says the tourism board.

During her week-long visit to India, de Lille will engage with delegates to strengthen bilateral cooperation across five key sectors namely  infrastructure, energy and mining, pharmaceutical and medicine, ICT/Digital and education, tourism, arts and sport and agriculture and agro-processing.

The statement adds that these efforts aim to foster partnerships that drive mutual economic growth while tackling pressing global issues such as climate change, food security, and sustainable development. As the Chief Guest, the Minister will also address an audience of over 350 diplomats, business leaders, and civil society representatives, highlighting topics like visa and digital innovations to streamline travel, improving air connectivity through the IBSA (India, Johannesburg, Sao Paulo) code-share flight, and unlocking economic opportunities through rural tourism.

Furthermore, the South African delegation will also engage with over 100 business leaders from both nations to explore trade and investment prospects, opening doors to innovation and promoting mutual growth. Addressing the challenges and opportunities by both countries for an ever-evolving global landscape will lay a foundation for deeper cooperation.