Visa system
As part of its reform agenda, government will continue to enhance the visa system to make it easier for skilled people to invest in the country and to grow tourism. This year, government will launch an Electronic Travel Authorisation System to enable a secure, fully digital visa application process.
This system will use AI and automation to reduce the scope for corruption and enable rapid turnaround times for tourist visas. Government has cleared over 90% of the backlog of more than 300 000 visa applications. These changes send a strong message that South Africa is open for business and tourism
Tourism
The services sector is now the largest part of South Africa’s economy, ranging from financial services to retail, hospitality, tourism and the burgeoning creative industry. The tourism sector is growing rapidly, with close to nine million tourists having visited the country last year.
Government will grow tourism through visa reforms, through increasing the number of flights to key destinations, and marketing South Africa as the best country in the world to visit.
