South Africa is making a renewed push to attract more Indian tourists, tackling a major roadblock of visa delays. With faster visa processing, tourism officials are optimistic about reaching pre-pandemic visitor numbers from India.
South African Tourism launched the 21st edition of its Annual India Roadshow in New Delhi on March 18 (Tuesday), setting the stage for a deeper engagement with the Indian travel market. The event was led by Gcobani Mancotywa, Regional General Manager for Asia, Australia and the Middle East at South African Tourism.
Addressing a news conference, Mancotywa highlighted the potential of the Indian market and the tourism board’s renewed focus on boosting travel between the two countries. “India is a key market for us, and we recognize the significant potential it holds, with over 40 million outbound travellers. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, recovery from India has been strong. In 2024, we achieved approximately 75,000 arrivals from India, which is about 80% of pre-COVID numbers,” he stated.
A major factor impeding further growth has been visa constraints. However, Mancotywa is optimistic about recent developments, particularly the introduction of the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS), which simplifies visa processing for Indian travellers. “Our Minister visited India in November last year to introduce the TTOS, and the initiative has already seen success. About 65 tour operators have been appointed as part of the scheme, including 14 from India. The commitment from our home affairs department ensures a three-day turnaround time for visa issuance, with some applications being processed within a day. This barrier to access is now a thing of the past,” he said.
With participation from over 500 Indian travel trade agents and 40 exhibitors showcasing their offerings, the roadshow demonstrated the increasing enthusiasm for travel to South Africa. Following its successful inauguration in New Delhi, the multi-city roadshow will move to Chennai and Mumbai on March 19th and 20th, respectively, further strengthening trade partnerships and promoting outbound tourism to South Africa.
Air connectivity is another focus area for South African Tourism. Mancotywa acknowledged the importance of airline partnerships in driving travel growth, noting collaborations with Ethiopian Airlines, which has been offering discounted fares as part of promotional campaigns. Additionally, South African Airways is participating in the roadshow for the first time, conducting market intelligence to assess the feasibility of introducing direct flights between India and South Africa. “While no commitments have been made yet, their presence at the roadshow is a positive step towards addressing the air access challenge,” he noted.
Looking ahead, South African Tourism has set a target of achieving pre-COVID arrival numbers from India by the end of the year. Mancotywa detailed the organization’s revamped marketing strategy, emphasizing key focus areas such as Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) tourism, leisure travel and newly introduced tourism products that cater to Indian travellers. “We are working closely with tour operators and have introduced new experiences that we believe will appeal to the Indian market. This roadshow is just the beginning of our intensified efforts to make South Africa the top travel destination for Indian tourists,” he concluded.