Waiver for foreign kid tourists given thumbs up by tourism sector

The tourism industry has given a thumbs up to the decision by Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi to allow accompanied children of foreign nationals to enter the country without carrying supporting documents.

In what has been hailed as “a significant policy shift” by government, tourists aged up to 16 years old now are now no longer required to produce unabridged birth certificates or consent letters when travelling to the country, as was the case in the recent past – in what is hoped will be an international tourism boost ahead of the festive season.

“It is significant that we have completed the policy changes in the week in which President Cyril Ramaphosa hosted the second SA Investment Conference.

“We anticipate that this change will have a positive impact on tourism as we approach the holiday season.

“This improvement in our admissions policy builds on the work the department has been doing to contribute to economic growth and investment.

“Foreign children can now enter and depart the country without being required to provide birth certificates, consent letters and other supporting documents relating to proof of parentage,” said Motsoaledi.

The department communicated the changes – which came into immediate effect on Friday – to all immigration officials at ports, airline and maritime entry points.

In line with the requirements of the Children’s Act, South African children will still be required to provide supporting documents, with the same applying to unaccompanied foreign children.

In reaction to the changes, South African Tourism acting chief executive Sthembiso Dlamini welcomed the news, saying it would make it easier to market the country as a tourism destination.

Said Dlamini: “The news will certainly be welcomed by all in the tourism industry – both in South Africa and around the world.

“In all our markets, family travel is a key driver for arrivals and we compete with many other destinations for the share of family travel.

“The waiver will allow us to proactively and aggressively market South Africa as a family-friendly destination.

“Following our recent roadshows to the UK, central Europe and North America, some of the feedback received was that we were starting to lose ground on the family travel market as families were choosing other destinations ahead of South Africa, due to the regulations around travelling with minors.

“With this changed, we can now work on regaining this market.”

Among its advantages in tourism, South Africa was “an ideal family destination with convenient long-haul connections from all parts of the world”.

The country, said Dlamini, was also mostly malaria-free, “making it an attractive option for families wanting to experience safaris and wildlife without having to take medication”.

“Accommodation establishments across the country also cater for the needs of families.

“There is an abundance of fun to be had in South Africa for families travelling with children of all ages and certainly enough experiences to leave lasting memories in both parents and children,” added Dlamini.

Aiming to achieve the target of 21 million tourist arrivals by 2030 set by Ramaphosa, Dlamini said the latest reform by Motsoaledi “will certainly prove to be a catalyst for us to achieve the goal”.

Also welcoming the change was the Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA).

“This is a welcome relief and will help South Africa regain its competitive position as an attractive tourism destination,” said AASA CEO Chris Zweigenthal.

He said although the country’s stringent tourism laws were intended to curb human trafficking, AASA estimated the country’s travel, tourism and hospitality industries lost hundreds of millions of rands over the past five years due to the restrictions and how they were implemented.

“Losses were felt as trade went to places that were easier to visit.

“At the same time, local operating costs increased and margins compressed. As a result, jobs were lost, livelihoods were negatively affected and revenues derived from taxes declined.

“Reforms such as this waiver will help to strengthen the entire sector and contribute towards the economic rejuvenation of South Africa and the region.

“This is a good start, but there are still other corrective interventions to be made and unnecessary red tape to be slashed,” said Zweigenthal.

– brians@citizen.co.za

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