South Africa plans to attract more tourists through simplified visa regulations

South Africa is preparing to launch a global campaign to promote its tourism industry in order to attract more visitors from China and India. One of the measures is the expansion of the digital visa system, as reported by China Daily, a partner of TV BRICS.

South Africa’s Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille, said that during the G20 Summit in Johannesburg in November last year, the country successfully tested the digital visa system with the participation of citizens from China, India, Indonesia and Mexico.

"We shouldn't assume that people know about the digitised visa system, especially the main source markets like India and China," said de Lille, adding that South Africa will launch a campaign to promote this system.

Patricia de Lille instructed South African tourism offices in Beijing and Shanghai to conduct local marketing campaigns to position South Africa as a preferred travel destination for China and India and to inform potential visitors about existing programmes.

The minister emphasised that every 13 international tourists create one permanent and three indirect jobs in South Africa.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Tourism Business Council of South Africa, Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa, stated that China and India will play a key role in achieving the country’s target of attracting 15.6 million international tourists annually by 2030. He noted that South Africa’s tourism industry aims to attract 500,000 visitors each year from each of these countries.

South Africa is developing a comprehensive strategy to prepare for the arrival of Chinese tourists, which includes adapting to Chinese digital platforms, integrating payment systems and taking cultural preferences into account. Work is also under way to overcome language barriers, including Mandarin language training programmes as well as culinary training for chefs to better meet the needs of Chinese visitors.

In addition, South Africa is negotiating with China and India to increase the number of direct flights. Opportunities are being discussed with Chinese airlines to raise flight frequencies.

Since the beginning of 2025, the Trusted Tour Operators Scheme has been operating in South Africa, under which accredited tour operators can submit online visa applications on behalf of clients and obtain visas for tourist groups from India and China. Processing usually takes three to five working days. The country also operates the ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) system – an electronic permit for short-term travel. Unlike a visa, which requires visiting an embassy, it is issued online and serves as a fast electronic entry clearance.