South Africa sets out stall for tourists from China

South Africa is intensifying efforts to attract more Chinese visitors as part of its broader tourism growth strategy.

Patricia de Lille, South Africa's minister of tourism, told China Daily that the country's newly-introduced visa reforms – including last month's launch of the Electronic Travel Authorization system – are expected to boost international arrivals.

The new digital permit streamlines the visa process by allowing travelers to apply online, submit biometric data and receive approval within 70 hours.

"The system is going to be a major enabler and will greatly benefit key source markets for the country, including China, India, Indonesia and Mexico," de Lille said.

She added that South Africa's tourism and hospitality sector had received a boost from last weekend's G20 Summit, with hotels around Soweto – one of the host locations – fully booked during the event.

De Lille emphasized the South African government's commitment to expanding the tourism sector, highlighting its role in growing the economy and job creation.

"Last year, the tourism sector created 1.6 million jobs for South Africans," she said.

Looking more broadly across the continent, de Lille said Africa has vast untapped tourism potential, supported by diverse natural and cultural attractions.

She urged African countries to collaborate more closely in promoting the region as a unified destination, and called on the African Union to accelerate implementation of Agenda 2063's tourism ambitions, which envision Africa as a preferred global destination driven by integration, prosperity and peace.

To achieve this, she said, tourism and transport ministers from across the continent must coordinate efforts and remove barriers to intra-African travel.