The travel and tourism industry has welcomed the prioritisation of a review into South Africa’s new immigration regulations, which include the requirement that people make visa applications in person and for children to travel with an unabridged birth certificate or the equivalent from their country.

In his State of the Nation address on Thursday night, President Jacob Zuma said the review of visa regulations would be prioritised.

“It is encouraging that the issue has been elevated to a national priority,” said SATSA CEO, David Frost.

Frost explains that the association, together with the Tourism Business Council of SA (TBCSA), has presented data showing the regulations in their current form have had, and will continue to have, a detrimental impact on the tourism sector. “It is testimony to our efforts, in tandem with those of Tourism Minister, Derek Hanekom, and his team that has resulted in a proper review.” 

According to Frost, the TBCSA commissioned a report in July 2014 that focused on the potential impact of the regulations, while a second report was being finalised. The latter quantifies the impact already wrought and also focuses on solutions that satisfy security concerns while ensuring SA remains tourist friendly.

“The message is a clear one,” says Frost. “The birth certificate requirements are simply not workable and run counter to international regulations governing aviation.  There are other more sophisticated best practices that need to be explored to combat the scourge of trafficking in persons.  Biometric data needs to be captured on arrival.  This is far more cost effective than attempting to set up a myriad of satellite centres in large source markets.”

Frost says SATSA will continue to play a leading role in the process and urged members to send details of any potential or actual business lost as a result of the two regulations to david@satsa.co.za.

“Certainty is a key platform operators in our key source markets are looking for. The mere spectre of the introduction of biometrics has decimated volumes out of India, with many operators pulling South Africa from brochures.  The Chinese market has suffered similar declines,” said Frost. “The sooner we can get a positive message out on the way forward, the sooner we can begin to claw back our share of these markets.”

Lee-Anne Bac, Director: Advisory Services at Grant Thornton Johannesburg, the agency that put together the reports referred to by Frost, also welcomed Zuma’s comments. She said the President’s assurance directly related to studies undertaken by the agency to determine the impact of the visa regulations on the tourism industry.

“The tourism industry will welcome a review of the visa regulations,” said Bac. “Implementation of the amended visa regulations has had a major negative impact on tourism demand for South Africa.  The need to have stringent visa controls for improved security is recognised, but there are ways, which have not been implemented, of ensuring that legitimate travellers are not deterred from visiting SA.

“From the President’s comments, it appears that a ‘win-win’ solution might be possible,” said Bac.