MEMBERS of the inbound
travel trade have
slammed the new
Immigration Amendment Act,
warning that the regulations
could discourage travel to
South Africa.
The Board of Airline
Representatives South Africa
(Barsa) has warned that
the regulations will cost SA
R6,8bn in lost tourism. Based
on 2013 numbers, 536 000
foreign visitors could be
denied travel.
According to Barsa, SA
will be the only country
mandating that children
travel with an unabridged
birth certificate, causing
confusion and disruption to
tourists and air travellers
globally. “Air travellers and
travel bookers in South Africa
and overseas just don’t know
about this requirement and
why would they? A passport
is the globally recognised
travel document,” says June
Crawford, ceo of Barsa.
“If all airlines and airports
worldwide adopted the same
measures simultaneously,
the travelling public and
travel service providers would
be quickly educated to the
new requirements. As it
stands, South Africa will just
appear isolationist and ‘antichildren’.
Tourism demand
will go elsewhere and it will
take years for South Africa
to overcome the reputational
damage,” says June.
Simon Newton-Smith,
Virgin Atlantic Airways’ head
of Middle East and Africa,
says the regulations could be
catastrophic for the industry,
particularly inbound tourism.
He estimates it would affect
at least 20% of international
passengers.
Frank Glettenberg, Private
Safaris ceo for Southern
Africa, says while the
requirement to carry an
unabridged birth certificate
will be an inconvenience, the
requirement to apply for visas
in person is a much more
serious issue. He points out
that some countries have one
or only a few visa centres,
which are located in core
cities, which inconveniences
potential travellers residing
and working outside these
cities. “The need to show
up in person might detract
especially high-income earners
whose time is extremely
valuable,” he adds. Frank
warns that the regulations
could result in travellers giving
preference to destinations that
have an easier visa application
procedure.
Carina Hibbitt, programme
manager of Rainbow Tours,
described the development
as a “massive PR disaster”.
“We have not put anything into
place yet to advise passengers
travelling in a few weeks’
time. I am hoping that this
requirement simply cannot
be true, or enforceable.”
Carina says the African Travel
and Tourism Association
alerted its members to the
news but she has received
no communication on the
changes from other official
channels.
After notifying clients, Onne
Vegter, owner and director of
Wild Wings Safaris, received
negative reactions. Concerns
raised by families who had
booked travel to SA included
that the birth certificates
for their children were not in
English, while some were not
aware if their countries issued
unabridged birth certificates,
or what the equivalent would
be.
“These are very ill-considered
requirements,” said Onne.
“The potential damage to
the reputation of SA as a
destination is huge. We
support increased security
and protection against child
trafficking, but this is not the
way to solve it. How will the
immigration officials recognise
the real thing, and read
birth certificates in foreign
languages?”
None of the operators
contacted by TNW’s sister
publication, Tourism Update,
had been informed of the new
regulations by the Department
of Home Affairs.
