Audrey D’Angelo

The number of tourists from India to South Africa had grown exponentially in the past six years and was still climbing fast, Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk said yesterday.

And South African Tourism (SAT), which identified India three years ago as one of the top 20 source markets for the industry, is intensifying its marketing efforts in the country, particularly since South Africa joined Brazil, Russia, India and China in the Brics bloc of emerging economies to boost trade and investment.

Van Schalkwyk is in Mumbai this week to promote South Africa as a tourist destination. He will fly to China via Hong Kong to meet the arrival of SAA’s first direct flight to the Chinese mainland in Beijing tomorrow.

Van Schalkwyk pointed out to trade partners in Mumbai that the number of Indian tourists arriving in South Africa had “steadily increased by more than 122 percent between 2005 and 2010”. About 67 039 Indian tourists arrived in South Africa between January and September last year – 29 percent more than the same period in 2010.

From January to December 2010, 71 587 Indian tourists visited South Africa – a 29.7 percent increase from 2009.

“The aim is to reach more than 100 000 (Indian) tourists by 2014. The importance of India as a source market for South Africa cannot be overstated as India is an emerging travel market with massive growth potential,” he said.

“India’s economic growth is expected to continue over the next 40 years and by 2050 India is expected to be among the top three global economies.”

Rising incomes, changing attitudes and a desire to travel abroad had increased the desire among Indians for outbound travel, he said.

SAT had focused its campaign in India on film, fashion, sport, food and wine. Air connectivity between the two countries was good, with SAA operating four flights a week. Jet Airways operated five, and there were daily connecting flights from eight Indian cities by Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways by way of their home airports.

The Travel Agents Federation of India convention, which lures an average of 1 000 delegates plus their companions, would be held in KwaZulu-Natal in November. This followed the formation of an alliance between the federation and the SA Tourism Services Association, the umbrella body representing the entire South African tourism industry.

“The conference serves as a platform for professional development, tourism information and intelligence exchange as well as a… familiarisation trip where delegates get to explore the tourism potential and attractions of the hosting region,” Van Schalkwyk said.

He added: “It will give the Indian travel fraternity great exposure to South Africa. We are also bidding to host the Travel Agents of India convention in 2013.”

SAT was intensifying its marketing efforts and investment in its Indian operations.

Van Schalkwyk said the organisation was in the process of training more than 1 000 Indian travel agents and tour operators this year in the skills and experience needed to sell South Africa as a destination.

SAT’s eighth annual Three Cities roadshow, which includes five Indian cities this year, would feature 62 South African tourism products.