South Africa’s Tourism Minister has stressed the importance of a visa waiver agreement with Nigeria to enhance both economies.
South Africa’s Minister for Tourism, Patricia de Lille, has
said that if the visa waiver negotiation between Nigeria and South Africa is
sorted out and agreed, there will be a strong potential for growth in many
areas for the two African countries.
The tourism Minister said this In an exclusive interview
with ARISE NEWS at Africa’s Travel Indaba, a huge Pan African Tourism Trade
show which invited countries from all over Africa to exhibit their tourist
destinations as well as packages that will help to enhance the tourism industry
in not just South Africa, but the rest of Africa as well, with an aim to
increase the continent’s image and generated revenue through tourism,
De Lille, speaking on Nigeria and South Africa’s
relationship, revealed that South Africa has offered Visa waivers to about 132
countries across the world and 32 countries in Africa where the citizens of
these countries are entitled to a visa vaiver for up to 90 days within a year
with an option to extend, and that South Africa has been in negotiations with
Nigeria to secure a visa waiver as well.
She said, “Nigeria is one of the ten countries in Africa
where the negotiations is currently on between the Department of Home Affairs
and your Home Affairs Department in Nigeria. I keep on following up as the
Minister of Tourism because my interest is to see more Nigerians traveling to
South Africa.
“We’ve received about 16,000 visitors from Nigeria in the
first quarter of this year, it’s like an 18, 16% increase. So there is
movement, but it’s just taking very long for Nigerians to get the visas.
“And in my last conversation with the Minister of Home
Affairs, I asked him, ‘what are you talking to Nigeria about and when will we
have the visa sorted out?’ And he informed me in their discussions with Nigeria
they’re talking about two types of visas; one visa for business and for
meetings, conferences and events, and then another visa for tourism.
“I immediately asked, ‘but why two different visas?’ And
that’s all I could get from him.
“But I also wanted to know when these negotiations be
concluded, and he assured me that, you know, there are some delays on our side
and some delays in Nigeria, and as you know, I don’t deal with visas, I have to
rely on the Ministers.
“But I can’t agree more with you, you know the potential for
growth to both countries is there if we can sort out the visa issue.”
The minister also said that she had extended an invitation
to Nigeria to be a part of 2024’s edition of Africa’s Travel Indaba, saying, “I
have extended an invitation to Nigeria many months ago, and also, in the
invitation to invite your Minister, also to say that if you are interested in
getting space to have an exhibition that’s also available, so it’s really up to
the countries to decide what to do.
“We have on the floor here, as we speak now, 26 different
African countries, including Burkina Faso and Eritrea, that have also joined us
for the first time this year. So I can engage with the Minister of Tourism
there and see how we can get a closer relationship.
But it is up to Nigeria to decide whether they would like to
have a space here on the floor and have a promotion of Nigeria.”