South African Tourism is strengthening its engagement with the Indian travel trade to raise awareness of South Africa’s new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) process and help eligible Indian travellers navigate the digital system. Through stakeholder interactions and knowledge-sharing initiatives, the organisation is working to address industry queries, improve understanding of application procedures and support a smoother pre-travel experience for visitors.
The ETA introduces a digital approach to completing key travel authorisation formalities, reducing paperwork and streamlining the application journey. The system is designed to facilitate faster processing, with authorisation highlighted as being available within 48 hours. As part of its outreach, South African Tourism conducted its first digital ETA workshop for the Pune travel trade on September 22, 2026, in collaboration with South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs (DHA).
The workshop brought together 65 travel trade partners, providing an overview of the new process and guiding participants through the application journey. Discussions addressed practical concerns, including processing timelines, applications for children, group handling and other operational aspects. The session enabled travel partners to clarify their doubts and strengthen their ability to advise clients planning trips to South Africa.
Neliswa Nkani, Acting Hub Head, South African Tourism, said travel trade partners play an important role in helping Indian travellers discover South Africa. She emphasised the importance of ensuring that industry stakeholders have the clarity and confidence to guide clients through new procedures such as the ETA. Direct engagement, she added, allows the organisation to address questions, understand industry needs and support a smoother travel experience for eligible Indian visitors.
The Pune travel trade welcomed the opportunity to interact with South African Tourism and Department of Home Affairs representatives. Nilesh Bhansali, President of the Travel Agencies Association of Pune (TAAP), thanked Nkani and her team for their proactive and solution-oriented engagement, noting their understanding of industry challenges and efforts to develop practical solutions. Amol Damle, Partner at Damle Safaris, also acknowledged Nkani and Yusuf Simons from the Department of Home Affairs for their clear presentations on the new ETA process.
Damle said the workshop had helped travel partners prepare for an anticipated increase in travel to South Africa ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027. The initiative forms part of South African Tourism’s broader efforts to strengthen destination knowledge and build confidence among Indian travel trade stakeholders. By working closely with industry partners and relevant authorities, the organisation aims to improve awareness of the ETA system and reinforce South Africa’s accessibility as a destination for eligible Indian travellers.