SOUTH AFRICA-TOURISM/VISA REGULATIONS South Africa tourism numbers fall on visa restrictions

Record ID: 144406

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA-TOURISM/VISA REGULATIONS South Africa tourism numbers fall on visa restrictions
  • Date: 10th August 2015
  • Summary: CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA (FILE) (REUTERS) STREET SCENE TOURISTS IN RED BUS ON CITY TOUR TOURISTS DISEMBARKING FROM BUS
  • Embargoed: 25th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVADWCC4A6IUDS50YRGJV53Y4PEM
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: With its picturesque beaches and natural physical beauty, South Africa is one of the most popular global tourist destinations in the world.
    Tourism has emerged as the country's fastest-growing sector and is now the third largest contributor to GDP, helped in part by a weaker rand currency which has made it a relatively cheap destination for international visitors.
    The industry generated 39 billion U.S. dollars, or 9.7 percent of South Africa's GDP in 2013, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council.
    Last year, however, South Africa implemented new rules requiring visitors to provide biometric data when applying for visas, a problem for people in large countries like China, which only has South African consulates in Beijing and Shanghai.
    The visa laws also demand visitors carry an original unabridged birth certificate or a certified copy which analysts say acts as an additional hurdle.
    According to industry players, the regulations are having a drastic impact on the industry as visitor numbers decline.
    Enver Duminy is the Chief Executive of Cape Town Tourism, an organisation charged with promoting the city.
    "For me that concern is not about that loss only there is also the opportunity costs of those people who were intending on travelling to Cape Town but because of administration and additional burden of having to go through regulation requirements they have opted to go to other destinations," he said.
    South Africa's tourism industry has been growing steadily since the end of apartheid in 1994. Twenty years ago, international arrivals, including tourist visits, was at a mere 3.6 million, but the numbers increased by more than 300 percent reaching nearly 15 million in 2013 according to the Tourism Ministry.
    Tour operators in Cape Town now say the visa requirements are a big blow to those gains.
    "But where the real impact is being felt is with the smaller businesses within tourism. This week I even spoke to a number of those members who were actually in tears because some of them were having to close down their business because nothing is coming and for me I think it hits home of what that impact is," Duminy added.
    Sabu Siyaka is a local tour operator who also manages a restaurant in Langa township on the outskirts of Cape Town. He says his business has been hard hit since the visa rules were put in place.
    "We work with a diverse market because within all the sectors in the tourism industry, especially the destination management companies because we rely on these big tour operators so we did not get a single booking to be honest the only sector that is keeping us alive is the student market," Siyaka said.
    Linda Pampallis, Africa CEO of global tour company, Thompson believes the visa rules are driving away visitors from lucrative new markets on the continent.
    Africans account for more than 60 percent of visitors, with nearly 700,000 coming on holiday in December last year, Statistics South Africa data shows. That compared with about 150,000 visitors from Europe, 32,000 from North America and 16,000 from Asia.
    "The visa regulation affects to a large extent the new markets and here we had huge opportunities; we did have those opportunities but they are severely hindered at the moment and those markets are the African market. Africa still has a huge potential for tourism to South Africa and for a Kenyan or a Nigerian or Ugandan etcetera those countries to get visas they are finding it very difficult," said Pampallis.
    South Africa recently announced it would relax some visa restrictions for Kenyans after talks between the two governments. Kenyans will now pay less for business, student and medical visas. Instead of a fee 6,800 kshs (67 U.S. dollars) it is now 4700 kshs (46 U.S. dollars).
    But Kenyans are still required to meet all other conditions and wait for a visa for five working days.
    South Africans do not require a visa to enter Kenya if they are staying for less than a month or are in transit and are granted visas at the port of entry.
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