The new reciprocal visa requirements for Kiwi and South African rugby fans wanting to attend this year’s Super 18 tournament will add expense and bother, says Bryan Coetzee, Director of Sports Travel and SA Rugby Travel, divisions of Tourvest Destination Management.
Coetzee was commenting on the recently introduced entry requirements and their effect on the annual rugby competition. Both countries host matches over the course of the tournament, which runs between February and August this year.
“From a travel perspective, any obstacle or additional cost placed on a traveller naturally has a negative impact and as a travel operator we would like to see this particular decision rescinded,” he said.
“The anticipated impact on travel is minimal in terms of South African rugby fans travelling to New Zealand, as few guests travel there for this tournament. But more affected are the New Zealand teams and fans travelling to SA for the rugby championship. This visa requirement adds cost and hassle to visit our shores and, as a result, will most likely affect New Zealand rugby fans’ decision whether or not to visit South Africa.”
South Africa-bound Kiwis will have to apply for visas in person at the South African High Commission in Wellington, possibly necessitating domestic travel. By comparison, South Africans wanting to enter New Zealand have the convenience of an online eVisa application (see Tourism Update article here.
A spokesperson for SA Rugby said that in general, international spectators who attended Super 18 events held in South Africa didn’t travel out specifically for the tournament, but included matches because they happened to be in the country. International attendance amounted to a handful of people per match; tour groups of fans who passionately followed All Black tours, for example, were not a characteristic of the Super 18 tournament.
