South African government is looking forward to increased arrival of Indian tourists in 2017, notwithstanding the expected negative effects of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on their spending.
The number of Indian travellers arriving in South Africa has been on the rise over the years, with a surge of 21.7 per cent recorded during the previous year.
A total 95,377 leisure visitors from here chose South Africa during the year, placing India at eighth position among the country’s international source markets, representatives from South African Tourism, and Travel Agents Association of India said at a joint press conference on Wednesday.
The impressive figures have been recorded despite demonetisation announced on November 8 last year, which certainly had been a dampener, with bookings plummeting from the very next day, the visiting Country Head of South African Tourism Hanneli Slabber said.
The demographics too displayed a noticeable curve, with more and more young persons below 30 years of age opting for South Africa as the destination for adventure tourism, replacing the earlier market of family vacations.
To suit the needs of Indian visitors, the country has attractive customised packages, with 3,000 adventure tourism activity providers competing to offer 60,000 products, Ms.Slabber said.
The approximate expenditure for travel and stay per person goes upwards from Rs.1 lakh for a three-star package of 15 nights, and 100 activities.
She predicted the arrivals this year to stand at a lakh tourists, terming it a “cautiously optimistic figure” in view of GST effects.
Most of the leisure arrivals are from the South India, and average length of each stay has also increased from nine to 17 days over the previous five years since South Africa has made indoors into the Indian market.
The total leisure business registered from India last year has stood at 1.2 billion South African rands which is approximately Rs.600 crore.
Hyderabad is one focus area for promotion of tourism, along with 19 other cities in the country where the South Africa Tourism has conducted the seventh edition of its annual travel trade training sessions.
Since 2007, the leisure business has grown from mere two per cent to five per cent, with 55 per cent of it coming from tier-II and tier-III cities, Ms.Slabber said.
Direct flights to Johannesburg and visa on arrival, if materialised, are expected to improve the arrivals further, she added..
