De Lille has been given a target of attracting at least 10 million visitors in the year ending on March 31, 2024, the same as before the global pandemic struck, and she herself is targeting 15 million by 2030
South African Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille is pushing for visa requirements to be eased or entirely waived off for Chinese and Indian nationals to boost visitor numbers from the world’s two most populous nations.
‘‘Visas are a problem. I see my role as dealing with regulations, the visa issues, regulations around tour operating licenses and then, air access, getting more flights to come to South Africa,’’ de Lille has been quoted by South African media as saying.
She says that the government has identified the development of the tourism industry as key to reducing a 33 pc unemployment rate, but has long faced criticism that it makes it too difficult to enter the country.
The visa system is overseen by Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, who reportedly has acknowledged its deficiencies, but has complained that he lacked the staff and budget to fix it. An online visa system that is available in several countries doesn’t work properly and while some qualification requirements have been dropped, including the submission of bank statements, security screening continues to result in delays.
De Lille has been given a target of attracting at least 10 million visitors in the year ending on March 31, 2024, the same as before the global pandemic struck, and she herself is targeting 15 million by 2030.
De Lille said she intends to meet with Motsoaledi ahead of a visit to Beijing next month to discuss whether visas can be waived for Chinese and Indian visitors for limited-duration stays, a concession already extended to those from Brazil, Russia, the US and UK.
The US, UK and Germany account for the largest number of non-African visitors to South Africa, but arrivals from China and India are surging and can rise further if visa rules are eased, the minister said.
‘‘It is work in progress, but you have to consider the mandate of other government departments and ministries in dealing with the visa issue,’’ she said.
De Lille says that her ministry has allocated ZAR 174 million (USD 9.23 million) to train 2,300 safety monitors, who will be deployed from December to help secure 59 key locations, including national parks and airports.
The tourism industry has meanwhile invested in a mobile-phone application that will enable visitors to summon help from private security companies and the police at the push of a button if they are attacked. Companies are also helping patrol roads leading to the Kruger National Park, the country’s biggest wildlife reserve, because the police don’t have the capacity.
