The South African government is considering waving visa requirements for people coming in from China, India, Russia, and “any other country that applies stringent checks on visitors to their countries,” according to Kuseli Apleni, director general of the Home Affairs Department.
Businesspeople and academics throughout Africa would also get the opportunity to apply for 10-year multiple-entry visas.
The news, which Apleni broke to reporters on Friday, comes after tourism operators projected massive revenue losses resulting from new security measures. These rules require travelers from countries including China to apply for permits in person. They also require children to carry detailed birth certificates while traveling.
Tourism operators estimated the measures would cost the industry $473 million in lost revenue per year.
The government “is striking the balance between the need for state security, which is paramount and important and balancing that with the important economic driver that tourism is in our country,” said David Frost, chief executive officer of the Southern Africa Tourism Services Association.
