Visa waivers in the air: Will South Africa’s plans to boost tourism via visa waivers work

Visa waivers in the air: Will South Africa’s plans to boost tourism via visa waivers work

In a bid to boost its tourism sector amidst an economic crisis and increasing drops in the numbers of visitors, South Africa proclaimed visa waivers for four countries. Listed amongst the countries are Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and New Zealand.

Andrea Powers
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According to Doctor Aaron Motsoaledi, South Africa’s Minister of Home Affairs, visitors from the aforementioned countries will no longer need a visa to South Africa during vacation, business and conferences.

This decision came about following a decline in the number of visitors from Europe and the Middle East since the start of this year, which is usually a popular time to visit South Africa. The minister further said that this decision will help to boost the economy, and the tourism sector in particular, while creating jobs for South Africans.

South Africa witnessed a 10 per cent-plus decrease in tourists between April and May 2019, which has caused something of an economic crisis and has resulted in record-high unemployment at 29%. The government hopes to create about 2.1 million jobs in the tourism segment by 2028 and there are ongoing negotiations to extend the visa waiver to other countries, such as Ghana, Cuba, and Sao Tome and Principe.

Source: MSN.c0m

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