Tourism from Nigeria to South Africa has surged by 20% over the past year, as highlighted by Thekiso Rakolojane, South African Tourism’s regional head for West Africa, reflecting growing interest in South Africa as a prime destination for Nigerian travelers.
According to businessday.ng, This increase has contributed to the 95.1 billion rand ($5.3 billion) in direct spending recorded from international visitors during the 2023-24 financial year.
“The bilateral relations between Nigeria and South Africa from a tourism perspective have started to bear fruit,” Rakolojane told Nigerian and South African businessmen at a reception hosted by the South African Consul General on Tuesday. “With all the challenges we’ve been experiencing in the market, Nigerians continue to visit South Africa for holiday. Tourism arrivals to South Africa from Nigeria have grown an average of 20 percent.”
The outlook in South Africa
This year, Tourism to South Africa rose 9.7 percent to about 3.8 million arrivals between January and May, compared with a year ago, tourism minister Patricia de Lille told Lawmakers in July.
According to her, the overall contribution of tourism to the nation’s economy was even higher. Tourism is expected to contribute 8.8 percent to South Africa’s GDP this year from 8.2 percent in 2023.
Rakolojane credited the collaborative efforts of the Nigerian Consulate and South Africa Tourism with Nigerian banks for the growth seen. UBA, for example, facilitated visits to the Western Cape for 240 of its employees for tourism purposes, while the embassy helped arrange a similar trip for 200 Access Bank staff in December 2023.
The visa problem
Despite the high number of Nigerian visitors to South Africa, travellers still face hurdles at visa processing, which they require to be allowed access into the country, sometimes risking rejection.
Earlier this year, the South African consulate faced backlash after Nigerian singer Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe, known as ‘Ayra Starr,’ cancelled her Johannesburg and Cape Town performances when her visa application was denied. Nigerian U-18 boys’ basketball players also encountered delays in September, arriving late for the AfroBasket Men’s U-18 competition in South Africa due to visa issues.
