Electronic visas a must for SA tourism
08 August 2014
At a conference held by the South African Tourism Services Association (SATSA) which I attended today, very serious concerns were raised regarding the impact of the new visa regulations on South Africa's tourism industry.
The conference, which was attended by important industry entities such as large hotel groups, regional tourist service providers, and companies which market tourism packages for South Africa abroad, are deeply worried about the negative impact the new biometric visas will have on South African tourism. Some have confirmed that in China, one of South Africa's largest markets for tourism income, all marketing packages will come to an end on the 1st of October this year.
This delivers a serious blow to South Africa's tourism industry, and the many existing and prospective jobs that are created by it. The new biometric visas, part of the new visa regulations, are slowly killing the country's tourism and shedding jobs.
Biometric visas are problematic due to application centres and data gathering points being limited to certain cities in countries with a vast geographic spread such as India and China. While the Minister of Home Affairs, Malusi Gigaba, has said that more centres will be opened in these key market states, the tourism industry will suffer in the interim while potential visitors struggle to obtain travel permits.
If marketing packages in these countries halt, visitors and foreign investment coming into South Africa will be cut off. South Africa needs to consider electronic visas as a secure, efficient and effective solution to this problem.
I have already met with the Minister of Tourism, Derek Hannekom, in which he agreed to investigate the use of electronic visas in a bid to open the country up to visitors while still ensuring the security of South Africa's citizens. This process must be tended to as a matter of urgency.
Electronic visas will drastically cut the turnaround time for the issuing of travel documentation, and are in fact more secure than existing permits. They have also proven to be highly effective in countries such as Turkey.
It is crucial that the Departments of Home Affairs and Tourism work towards a common goal in order to protect the income that tourism generates for South Africa.
I will continue to work with industry officials and press for the use of electronic visas as a means for South Africa's tourism industry, threatened by the new visa regulations, to be protected.
Statement issued by James Vos MP, DA Shadow Minister of Tourism, August 10 2014
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