India has emerged as one of the key priority markets for South Africa, with the country targeting 100,000 Indian arrivals in 2026, according to Patricia de Lille, Tourism Minister of South Africa, during her interaction with Indian media at Africa’s Travel Indaba 2026 in Durban.
“We now have a completely digital visa system in place. I believe the target we have set for the Indian market is achievable with the implementation of the new visa regime,” she said.
The Minister acknowledged that cumbersome visa procedures had previously posed challenges for Indian travellers, impacting visitor numbers from the market. “In 2025, South Africa welcomed 69,680 visitors from India,” she said. During the first quarter of 2026 (January to March), the destination recorded 12,912 arrivals from India.
De Lille also highlighted air connectivity as a major challenge, and said the South African government is actively working towards establishing direct flight services between India and South Africa to simplify travel and increase tourist arrivals. She revealed that discussions have already been held with Air India, IndiGo and charter operators in India.
“Air India and IndiGo are prepared to begin operations, but the shortage of aircraft remains a challenge. The lack of long-haul aircraft is a global issue,” she said.
To diversify its tourism offerings, South African Tourism is introducing new products beyond traditional safari and leisure experiences. “We cannot depend only on safari and leisure tourism. We are also focusing on adventure and sports tourism,” she said.
With South Africa preparing to host the Cricket World Cup next year, De Lille said the country is curating specialised travel packages aimed at Indian cricket enthusiasts. “Indians love cricket, and we are designing packages keeping this in mind,” she added.
The Minister further noted that the MICE segment currently contributes 45% of total Indian arrivals to South Africa. She also identified multi-generational travel and honeymoon tourism as rapidly growing segments, while stressing the need to strengthen focus on the wedding market.
De Lille underlined the strong tourism cooperation between India and South Africa, recalling her meeting with India’s Tourism Minister during the G20 Summit last year. “We agreed that both countries should undertake joint marketing efforts. We should not only promote South Africa in India, but also promote India in South Africa,” she said.
South African Tourism has set an ambitious target of attracting 15 million international visitors by 2029, up from 10.5 million foreign arrivals recorded in 2025.
Describing tourism as a key driver of economic growth, the Minister said the sector generates employment, supports small businesses and contributes significantly to economies across Africa. She added that Africa’s Travel Indaba continues to serve as an important platform for strengthening tourism partnerships between African destinations and international markets such as India.
“I am very optimistic about the Indian market, and believe we can expand our presence in a much bigger way than it is today,” De Lille said