With visa reforms, deeper trade engagement, and regional storytelling shaping its India strategy, South African Tourism is accelerating its market momentum for 2026. Mitalee Karmarkar, Marketing and Communications Manager (MEISEA), South African Tourism, shares insights on arrival trends, new electronic visa systems, emerging provinces, and evolving Indian traveller preferences across leisure, MICE, and adventure segments.
Building on steady recovery trends, South Africa is aligning accessibility, trade education, and experiential promotion to accelerate growth from India.
Visa Reforms Strengthen India’s Momentum
Sharing recent market trends in India, Mitalee highlighted steady recovery supported by improved accessibility and trade engagement. She said, “From January to December 2025, we received 69,680 arrivals from India. Globally, we have overachieved, but for India, we are aiming to reach pre-COVID numbers in 2026, and the introduction of electronic visas is going to be a major game changer for us.”
The shift towards faster and more flexible visa mechanisms is already influencing travel sentiment. Mitalee explained, “We have moved from traditional sticker visas to the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS) and now to Electronic Travel Authorisation, where travellers can complete the entire process online and receive their visas in about 24 hours by uploading their documents, travel details, and financial information.”
Highlighting the visa flexibility offered, she added that there are currently around 30 TTOS operators in India, and the response has been very positive, particularly for group travel. All three visa routes remain operational, so travellers can choose between TTOS, ETA, or the traditional consular route depending on their requirements.
Air connectivity is also expected to play a crucial role in strengthening demand. “Direct flights are something we have been working towards for a long time, and discussions are now in the final stages. A combination of direct connectivity and electronic visas will significantly boost travel from India,” mentioned Mitalee.
Expanding Beyond Classic Routes
While iconic itineraries across South Africa continue to remain popular, the tourism board is now promoting regional diversification to encourage repeat travel. Mitalee noted, “Our focus now is to highlight provinces that are still relatively underexplored by Indian travellers. Among the key regions being promoted is KwaZulu-Natal, anchored by Durban. The destination offers a strong mix of beaches and mountains, making it ideal for travellers who want varied landscapes within a single itinerary, and it also works well for both leisure and corporate movements.”
The tourism board is also showcasing coastal experiences in the Eastern Cape, including Coffee Bay and the scenic Hole in the Wall nearby. Mitalee explained that these locations are visually striking and increasingly popular among experiential travellers influenced by digital and social media content.
Referring to wildlife travel patterns, Mitalee said, “Most Indian travellers visit Mpumalanga for safaris around Kruger National Park, but we are now promoting Limpopo as well, which offers equally premium game reserves and luxury experiences with fewer crowds.”
Trade Outreach and Trends Shape India’s Strategy
India trade engagement continues to remain central to South Africa’s growth roadmap. Mitalee shared, “This year, we participated in OTM and followed that with roadshows across Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, and Delhi, while our Learn South Africa initiative is now focusing on tier-two and tier-three markets to educate the trade about destinations beyond the traditional circuits. Emerging source markets are already showing encouraging enquiry trends. Cities such as Lucknow, Surat, and Pune are generating strong interest. While arrivals from some of these markets are still evolving, the enquiry pipeline from cities like Kochi has grown significantly over the past year.”
According to Mitalee, corporate and MICE travel continues to play a dominant role in overall arrivals. Approximately 46 per cent of travel from India is linked to business and MICE segments, with around 20.9 per cent being purely MICE. Leisure is at 23.5 per cent, while VFR is at 22.5 per cent. Most corporate movements are concentrated in Gauteng, especially Johannesburg, followed by Cape Town and Durban.
Consumer insights are also shaping marketing campaigns for the Indian market. Mitalee asserted, “Our research shows that nearly 76 per cent of Indian travellers are strongly influenced by food experiences, followed by adventure and wildlife. This is why our localised campaigns will highlight cuisine, including vegetarian options, alongside activities such as bungee jumping, shark cage diving, and soft adventure experiences like sandboarding and segways.”
With a strategic focus and improved access, South African Tourism is set to deepen its momentum in India.
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