Direct flights, visa improvements key to enhancing SA-India tourism

Source: Department of Tourism

This was highlighted earlier this week by South Africa’s Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille, during her engagements in New Delhi. Minister De Lille led a delegation to India to directly connect with tourism trade representatives, tour operators, associations, business leaders, government officials, and media.

The mission focused on strengthening collaboration and laying the groundwork for a shared future in which tourism plays a pivotal role. It also emphasized tourism’s potential as a tool for economic growth, while building relationships across the tourism value chain.

As South Africa assumes the G20 Presidency in December 2024, the visit served as a forward-looking step in showcasing the nation’s diverse tourism offerings to the world and preparing to host delegates for the G20 meetings in 2025.

Welcoming India

South Africa and India have maintained strong bilateral relations, with a significant partnership across platforms such as BRICS, the G20, and IBSA (India, Brazil, and South Africa Forum).

"India is the fifth largest global economy and has a growing middle class. Indian tourists are amongst the top spenders globally and are set to become the 4th largest global travel spenders by 2030. India is also one of the leading outbound markets. South Africa must tap into this market more to grow tourism between our countries and for South Africa to reach our target of 15 million arrivals annually by 2030," Minister de Lille said.

In 2023, South Africa reached 8.5 million total arrivals for the year and we are working to increase this to 10 million arrivals for the year by December 2024. It has so far received 6.5 million total arrivals between January and September 2024.

India: Key to boosting SA tourism

In 2019, arrivals from India to South Africa stood at over 95,000 and this recovered to over 79,700 in 2023, an increase of 43% compared to 2022.

For this year, between January and September, South Africa received over 57,900 arrivals from India. There has been a slight decline of 4% in recent months demonstrating the need for this outreach to engage our partners in India to address barriers to growth.

Currently, Indian tourists account for only 3.9% of all international visitors to South Africa and we need to do a lot more to grow this share and attract more arrivals from India.

"We want to attract more arrivals from India by making it easier for travellers to travel to South Africa through an improved visa regime and improved air route development."

Indian travellers spending on outbound tourism is expected to grow from $18.82bn in 2024 to $55.39bn in 2034.

“We are here to ensure that South Africa benefits from that growth and in return, the Indian traveller will have the most beautiful and memorable holiday experience having experienced our warm, welcoming people, excellent cuisine, breath-taking natural landscapes and so much more," Minister de Lille said.

The mission is aimed at growing partnerships and arrivals in line with the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Tourism Cooperation signed by South Africa and India in July 2016 which states that we will work together on enhancing cooperation in tourism, trade and hospitality.

Minister de Lille also met with India’s Minister of Tourism, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. Minister de Lille provided updates on South Africa’s visa regime and efforts to secure a direct flight between India and South Africa.

"It is important for South Africa to grow this market as India has deep political ties with South Africa and links with the struggle for freedom and justice in South Africa. India has significant trade relations with South Africa. Total trade between RSA & India is estimated at over $18,8bn.

"This demonstrates that there is no doubt that India has the potential to positively impact arrivals to South Africa thereby increasing contribution to the economy and supporting economic opportunities for small businesses and bringing foreign currency into the country," Minister de Lille said.

Increasing Indian tourists will significantly boost demand for goods and services, driving improvements in standards and quality. Achieving this growth requires the participation of various sector role players, from micro, small, and medium enterprises to large businesses and industry associations. Their involvement will contribute to inclusive economic transformation.

South Africa aims to attract 15 million foreign tourists annually by 2030, and easing travel for Indian visitors could play a crucial role in reaching this target in the long term.

The India Outreach Programme will be conducted with a specific focus on tourism recovery.

Key issues in the current South African tourism environment will be discussed, with special focus on:

• Air connectivity;
• E-visa challenges; and
• Promoting destination South Africa
• Sport and culture tourism

A key part of the outreach is to market South Africa as a diverse and exciting destination more effectively.

"We are showcasing that South Africa has it all and is the place to be, it is an affordable destination, and it is filled with diverse tourism experiences for families and every kind of traveller in all nine provinces.

"We are showcasing our globally renowned cuisine, our family travel offerings, high-standard quality assured accommodation and establishments, adventure, affordable, luxury travel, world-renowned restaurants and beautiful wine farms. People must come and experience it all as well as our historic sites and melting pot of cultures in our small towns, rural villages and townships," Minister de Lille said.

South Africa’s consistent ranking as a top destination in global travel awards underscores the country's appeal. In 2024, Cape Town was named the Best Food City in the World, and South Africa was voted the World’s Friendliest Destination.

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"From our previous engagements and research, we have discovered that Indian travellers are looking for magical, authentic, memorable experiences. South Africa has all of this with many Instagram-worthy landscapes and experiences and most of all, our best asset – friendly, welcoming people.

“In South Africa, Indian travellers will find enriching and rejuvenating experiences with many options of fun-filled adventure and experiences and amazing sites to do a social media brag about. We have vibrant offerings for young people with exciting social and adventure activities and a variety of offerings for families,” Minister de Lille said.

Visas

The biggest barrier to increasing tourist arrivals between South Africa and India has been the lack of direct flights and lengthy visa processing times.

To address this, a new initiative called the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS) has been introduced. In collaboration with the Department of Tourism, the Presidency, Operation Vulindlela, the State Security Agency, and the Department of Home Affairs, the TTOS aims to streamline visa processes for Indian and Chinese tourists.

Under the TTOS, vetted and approved tour operators from India will be invited to register with the Department of Home Affairs (DHA). In exchange for undergoing thorough screening and taking responsibility for their groups, these operators will benefit from faster visa processing for their clients.

The new system will ensure that tourist visa applications are handled by a skilled team, cutting through the red tape that has hindered South Africa's tourism growth.

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The TTOS platform will be available from 20 January 2025, marking a significant step in making South Africa a more accessible and attractive destination for Indian tourists.

E-visas

In the past, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) introduced an online e-Visa application system to simplify the visa process for travellers from eligible countries, including India. However, the e-visa system faced challenges.

To address these issues, the DHA will soon pilot the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, which will replace the e-Visa for individual tourist visas. The ETA will offer a much shorter approval time for travellers, improving the overall visa application experience.

Air access/ route development

Another intervention being worked on is route development, as there is currently no direct flight between the two countries. This lack of connectivity significantly impacts travel, making it more costly due to multiple connections.

South African Airways is part of the delegation in India, exploring the possibility of reinstating the India-South Africa route.

Minister de Lille will meet with India Air, Indigo, and Spice Jet airlines to encourage them to launch a direct flight between India and South Africa.

Over 70 international airlines currently fly into South Africa, and in 2024, the country recovered to 8.1 million seats, compared to 9.2 million seats in 2019.

The Indian outbound market is growing, and South Africa is positioning itself to benefit from this growth.

MICE travel

The MICE industry presents another significant growth opportunity in the Indian market.

Over the years, South Africa has cemented its reputation as a leading MICE destination, with a solid track record in hosting hundreds of world-class business events.

According to the latest International Congress and Conventions Association (ICCA) rankings, South Africa is the top business events destination in Africa and the Middle East.

In 2023, South Africa’s MICE industry was valued at 6.6 billion US dollars and is expected to grow fourfold to 25.9 billion US dollars by 2032.

Sport tourism: Cricket World Cup 2027

South Africa will host the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2027. Given the deep passion for cricket in both India and South Africa, this presents a golden opportunity to boost sports tourism.

The ICC Cricket World Cup is one of the world's most-watched sporting events. Hosting it will showcase South Africa’s world-class facilities and infrastructure, reinforcing its status as a premier destination for sports enthusiasts.

The 2027 Cricket World Cup is a prime opportunity to attract a diverse audience, increase tourism, and solidify South Africa’s global reputation as a top sports tourism destination.

Indian fans are expected to be eager to travel to South Africa to support their teams. Efforts will be made with stakeholders in India to create attractive packages for cricket fans and travellers to experience the World Cup.

The SA T20 Tournament also presents another great opportunity to visit South Africa and enjoy its many attractions.

Minister de Lille concluded by emphasising that South Africa’s doors are open and the country is ready to welcome business event delegates and leisure travellers from all over the world. South Africa offers value-for-money experiences with a favourable exchange rate for international travellers.

From shopping and social experiences to vast natural attractions, beautiful beaches, world-class cuisine, cultural, historical and heritage sites, wildlife, business, and adventure, South Africa offers a diverse range of experiences.

“Partnerships and collaborations are central to all we do as South Africa’s tourism sector. The importance of our partners in India who bring South Africa closer to the hearts of Indian travellers cannot be overstated and we are here to strengthen those partnerships and take our work to the next level," Minister de Lille said.

“India has a population of 1.4 billion that is bolstered by the rapid growth of India's economy. India is set to become the fifth largest in 2024 and is projected to reach $7t as the third largest economy by 2030. 15 markets along with India drive tourism to South Africa.

"These 15 markets make up 89% of arrivals and we look forward to welcoming more visitors from India."