The National Department of Tourism’s (NDT) reaction to the new immigration regulations has recently come under the scrutiny of the committee tasked with reviewing SA Tourism.

Although the committee recognised that both the Department of Tourism and SA Tourism had highlighted their concerns around the implementation of the new immigration regulations, it also warned in it's report that more needed be done earlier on to address these types of regulatory barriers.

Chairperson Valli Moosa said the NDT needed to build a close relationship with SA Tourism that was responsive to the fast-paced needs of the tourism market, in particular responding to major tourist concerns and obstacles to tourism growth. “SA Tourism must arm the national Department of Tourism with the right information and insights; the national department needs to fight for SA Tourism funding and address obstacles to its effectiveness.”

According to the report, the requirement of biometric visas and unabridged birth certificates is likely to have a real impact on the number of tourists who visit South Africa. “While the intention behind these new procedures might be sound, the practical mechanics of compliance based on the current Home Affairs design appears impractical. Additional administrative burdens placed on tourists prior to their departure are likely to result in many simply switching destinations to other countries, where travel is easier and more accessible,” said the report.

The report highlighted several examples where the new regulations were impacting on tourism:

• Japan does not issue birth certificates;
• Italy only issues birth certificates at local offices and these vary in format;
• In China only two visa processing offices have been proposed by the Department of International Relations and Co-operation.
• For all non-English-speaking countries, translation into English is an additional cost and hurdle.

The report further indicated that the processing time for visas could also be seen as a hurdle. In India this takes close to 22 days as adequate processing capabilities are not in place. The same is true for visas issued in important African destinations. For example, it is impractical for Nigerians outside Lagos and Abuja to obtain visas.

Perceived obstacles have also been categorised according to their impact on tourism growth.

Immigration restrictions were seen as the greatest obstacle to international tourism growth, followed by long-haul destination and airlift, marketing and awareness, safety, affordability/value for money and, finally, products and standards.