I genuinely struggle to understand how anyone thought the new tourist visa laws would have a positive impact on South Africa’s economy. Whilst there are plenty of arguments (a few of them rational) supporting why immigration laws are now so much tougher, I challenge anyone to give a convincing explanation as to how making life harder for tourists wanting to come, spend and go home is a positive.

The good news is, you now don’t have to, as there is now evidence that this has been a massive cock-up. As Times Live reports:

A Grant Thornton report last month said SA’s tourism industry lost R886-million in direct spending last year due to the new visa regulations and R1.4-billion would be lost this year. Since the 2009 recession, tourist arrivals have grown at a healthy rate of between 7% and 14% annually, with the industry providing more than 1.5 million jobs. But in the first three months of this year there was a 6% fall in arrivals.

To further support these figures, The Tourism Business Index, which tracks performance in South Africa’s tourism sector, has recorded its lowest figures in four years:

The tourism sector posted an index score of 83.6 in the second quarter – compared with 99.9 in the first quarter.

It is the lowest recorded score since the third quarter of 2011.

An index score of 100 is regarded as an indication of normal levels of trade.

In case you’re not au fait with visa laws, foreigners are now required to provide biometrics when applying for a visa, and supply unabridged birth certificates for all children.

 People are cancelling trips and are going somewhere else because of these regulations.

In their countries these documents are not a requirement for travel. That is the problem with these regulations. We are asking people to travel with an unabridged certificate. It is not a formal recognised document for travel anywhere else in the world.” said Mmatsatsi Ramawela, the CEO of Tourism Business Council of SA.

So, there you have it. Last year, Cape Town was the number one city to visit. This year people are choosing not to bother, saving themselves from the pain of pointless paperwork by going anywhere else in the world. And who can blame them. The question is, how long and how much must the economy suffer before something is done about it?

[source: Times Live]