Tourism South Africa is looking to attract 1 lakh Indian tourists in 2024 while focusing on tier II cities, Neliswa Nkani, Hub Head of Middle East, India and Southeast Asia was quoted as saying by PTI.
In 2023, Tourism Minister of South Africa
Patricia de Lille had sought for visa waiver for tourists from India and China. South Africa's tourism minister is pushing for visa requirements to be eased or waived for Chinese and Indian nationals to boost visitor numbers from the world's most populous countries.
In 2023, the African nation witnessed 79,000 footfalls from India, which was almost 82% of pre-COVID numbers of 95,000 Indian arrivals. To attract more visitors from India and China, South Africa's tourism minister pushed for visa requirements to be eased or waived for Chinese and Indian nationals to boost visitor numbers from the world’s most populous nations.
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"Visas are a problem," Patricia de Lille, who was appointed to her post in March, said in an interview in Bloomberg’s Cape Town office on Thursday. "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."
Meanwhile, emphasizing the focus on travellers from tier II cities to increase footfalls from India, Nkani stated, "We hosted over 79,000 Indian travelers in 2023, representing 82 percent of pre-COVID levels. With 95,000 Indian visitors in 2019, we anticipate exceeding 100,000 tourists from India this year."
She highlighted the importance of attracting travelers from tier II cities in India, citing it as critical for growth. "There is immense potential in these cities, and it's imperative for the South African Tourism Board to invest in creating demand and offering compelling experiences," she added. While not disclosing the budget, Nkani mentioned substantial investments in showcasing South Africa through various channels like outdoor advertising, digital media, trade engagements, roadshows, and corporate collaborations.
Regarding target segments, Nkani mentioned a focus on attracting corporate travelers for meetings, incentives, conferences, and events (MICE), High Net Worth Individuals (HNIs) from tier II cities, millennials, women travelers, and sports enthusiasts.
"We aim for tourists to extend their stays in South Africa and plan to expand our outreach across more regions in India to position the southernmost African country as a compelling destination," she told PTI.
(Edited by : Jerome Anthony)
