ETW Staff – Mumbai
The Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval for an MoU between India and South Africa for co-operation in the field of tourism. The MoU, signed last month, aims to expand bilateral co-operation in the tourism sector; promote exchange of information and data related to tourism; encourage co-operation between tourism stakeholders, including hotels and tour operators; establish exchange programmes for co-operation in human resource development; promote investments in tourism and hospitality sector; encourage visits of tour operators and tourists from both countries for promotion of two way tourism; facilitate exchange of experiences in the areas of promotion, education, marketing, destination development and management; participate in travel fairs/ exhibitions in each other’s country; and promote safe, honourable and sustainable tourism.
South Africa is an emerging tourism source markets for India. India had received around 51,922 tourists from South Africa in 2015. India has extended the electronic tourist visa (eTV) facility for South African nationals, which has elicited good response from travel trade of both. The MoU is considered to be instrumental in increasing arrival from South Africa.