TravTalk India Online Magazine
Amid invigorating discussions around strengthening the bilateral co-operation between South Africa and India, Patricia de Lille, Minister of Tourism, South Africa, interacted with the travel agents in Mumbai and New Delhi to discuss core issues.
Hazel Jain
Patricia de Lille, Minister of Tourism, South Africa, accompanied by Nombulelo Guliwe, CEO, South African Tourism, was in India with an important agenda – to further increase the number of Indian visitors into her country. Elaborating on the purpose of their visit to India, de Lille said, “The purpose of our mission is to engage with Indian tour operators and trade associations, business leaders, and government officials so that we can work closer together and foster collaboration between the two countries. Indian travellers bring immense vibrancy to our tourism ecosystem.”
The trusted tour operator
In a significant move to strengthen tourism ties with India, South Africa has come up with a gazetted Trusted Tour Operator System (TTOS) scheme which will take effect from 20 January 2025. Aimed specifically at the Indian and Chinese markets, it will allow for bulk visa processing for group travellers. A total of 23 Indian tour operators have been selected for this in the first phase. “We know that one of the obstacles that has prevented many Indians visitors to come to South Africa is the visa regulations. We have finally resolved that. From now on, people who are travelling in groups will be able to go to any of the selected tour operators, whether a group of 5 or 10 or 200, who will facilitate their visa application. This will simplify group visa applications. We are working on a turnaround time of two to three days,” the minister said.
At the moment, the South African team is busy finalising the process and the names that will be announced by this year end. “We are also here to listen to the travel trade, hear their concerns, and where we can improve. We are here to ask for their advice, especially for the MICE segment,” she added.
5-year visas through ETA
The minister shared another exciting development. “We now have Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) enabling individuals to apply directly for their visas, and we are phasing out the e-visa applications because we had experienced several problems with that. With ETA, companies from India with businesses in South Africa can get five-year visas with multiple entries. This will also reduce the burden on our embassy officials. Visitors now only need three criteria to fulfil: travel dates, purpose, and duration. We have cut out the request for death certificate, divorce certificate, and bank statements. So, we have really transformed the visa system now,” she explained.
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.
The minister also emphasised on discussions with top Indian airlines regarding a potential code-sharing partnership aimed at strengthening ties between India and South Africa. “We met officials from Air India. Currently, there is a shortage of airplanes across the world, and they are waiting on some deliveries. IndiGo is also positive; they are looking at a codeshare agreement with South African Airways. With this, South African Airways will be able to take Indian travellers from Mauritius, or from Kenya into South Africa,” she said.
Currently, Indian tourists represent 3.9 per cent of the total arrivals to South Africa. The goal is to increase the number to 10 per cent by next year. The minister was hopeful that the easing of visa application process will push the numbers. Year 2023 saw an impressive 43 per cent increase in travellers from India compared to the previous year. With this momentum, South Africa is targeting 100,000 Indian tourists by the end of FY 2024-25. South Africa witnessed a significant influx of tourists from India.
