Taiwanese tourists struggle to obtain visas in SA

While President Cyril Ramaphosa is buoyed by country’s tourism performance with an increase of 150% in tourist arrivals last year, South Africa is yet to tap into the boom that comes via big-spending tourists from Taiwan.

In his weekly newsletter yesterday, Ramaphosa cited statistics from StatsSA and SA Tourism released by Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille that showed a whopping nearly 5.7 million visited the country last year, an increase of over 150% on the previous year.

Taiwan difficulties

However, South Africa may be closing itself off to the potentially high-spending tourist market in Taiwan because of the difficulties of obtaining both tourist and business visas for this country.

Taiwanese representatives in South Africa said it takes longer than almost anywhere in the world for their citizens to get visas for this country – possibly because of Pretoria’s stated “One China” policy, which recognises the People’s Republic of China as Chinese, rather than Taipei.

Official figures indicated that before the Covid pandemic, Taiwan had an average of 16.4 million outbound visitors out of a population of 23 million.

According to Japan’s latest survey on expenditure per credit card, in December 2022, following reopening of its border, Taiwan ranks number 1 when compared with the same period in 2019.

Taiwanese tourists spend around $635 (about R12 000) per visit. The difficulties experience by potential Taiwanese tourist in obtaining visas here contrasts with that in other African countries and the rest of the world.

Territories

A total of 111 countries and territories now grant visa-waiver status to Taiwan, including Gambia, Eswatini, La Réunion and almost all European countries and the United Kingdom.

Another 59 countries and territories allow Taiwan passport-holders e-Visa and landing-visa entry (visa-on-arrival).

Representative for the Taipei Office in South Africa Oliver Liao said: “It illustrates that visitors from Taiwan are welcomed and internationally recognised as law-abiding.”

Liao urged the South African authorities to improve the country’s visa processing if the country was to benefit from Taiwanese tourists.

He said a Taiwan e-passport was reliable and in full compliance with the standards and specifications of the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

“The government of Taiwan has continued to strengthen inter-agency communication while working with foreign governments and their embassies and representative offices in Taiwan to enhance our e-passport security, which has earned worldwide recognition for the stringent measures taken to prevent passport and identity theft-related crimes.

NOW READ: Reunification could help build a stronger China nation

e-Visas

Egypt and Kenya had already given Taiwan tourists visas-on-arrival or e-Visas.

In his newsletter, Ramaphosa promised that as way to grow tourism to South Africa’s economy, “we are determined to forge ahead with the process of immigration reform to improve our competitiveness as a tourism destination”.

He reiterated his recent announcement that his government would expand the e-Visa system from the current 14 countries to an additional 20 countries.

It’s not clear at the stage whether Taiwan would be among these.

ALSO READ: Trusty partners: Taiwan looks to South Africa

– ericn@citizen.co.za