Indians make up second-largest tourist group in South Africa from Asia Pacific region

Indians make up the second-largest group of tourists in South Africa among travellers from the Asia Pacific region, an official of South Africa Tourism said on Wednesday. Indian tourists are outperforming China, Australia and other countries in the growth rate of arrivals, he added.

“South Africa got about 99,000 travelers from India in 2019, pre Covid. Then hit by Covid, the numbers dropped. In 2023, we recovered and got over 79,000 travelers. Our focus now is on bringing back the pre-Covid numbers by the end of this financial year or calendar year,” said Gcobani Mancotywa, Regional General Manager – South African Tourism.

South African Tourism launched the 21st edition of its Annual India Roadshow in Chennai on Wednesday. With 40 exhibitors showcasing their offerings, the roadshow attracted participation from over 300 Indian travel trade agents in the city. In 2024, out of the 75,541 Indian tourists who visited South Africa, 3.1 per cent were from Chennai.

Visa processing

To boost the numbers, the country has launched its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system and the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS) that will significantly improve visa processing time and allow potential travelers to South Africa to get their visas processed within a maximum of three days.

With all these interventions, Mancotywa expects a growth of about 10 per cent in tourist arrivals from India going forward. The upcoming Cricket World Cup in South Africa, in 2027, has also led the country’s tourism department to create more awareness among Indian travelers. “Indian travelers are big on adventure. We’ve got exciting adventure offerings in South Africa,” he said.

However, more needs to be done for direct connectivity between South Africa and India. “We are also in discussions with a number of airlines to explore possibilities of introducing direct flights to South Africa. Our minister was here last year; he had discussions with a number of airlines,” he added.