South Africa targets 1 lakh Indian tourist arrivals in 2026

Jaipur, South Africa is targeting 1 lakh Indian tourist arrivals in 2026, with a growing focus on younger and experience-seeking travellers, South African Tourism Chief Operating Officer Ismail Dockrat has said.

He also said that Rajasthan is emerging as an important market for South Africa, and that there is a scope for industry collaboration between the two destinations.

"India is one of our most important growth markets, and our target for 2026 is to reach 100,000 Indian arrivals, which would bring us back to around our pre-pandemic levels," Dockrat, who was in Jaipur to attend the recently held BRICS Tourism Working Group meeting, told PTI.


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South Africa received close to 70,000 Indian visitors in 2025.

Dockrat said the aim over the next three years is to build sustained growth beyond the 1 lakh mark, with visa facilitation and air connectivity remaining key priorities.

He said the profile of Indian travellers is changing significantly and there is an increasing interest in luxury, adventure, experiential travel, destination weddings and youth travel.

"The Indian traveller is becoming far more diverse and experience-led.While families and group travel remain important, we are seeing growing interest in luxury and experiential travel, adventure, multi-generational holidays, destination weddings, incentives and youth travel," he said.

"Those travellers are seeking experiences that are immersive and personal, whether that is adventure, food and wine, culture, self-drive journeys or unique wildlife experiences," Dockrat added.

He said while Cape Town and Johannesburg will always remain important gateways, the South Africa Tourism was looking to encourage Indian travellers to discover the wider diversity of South Africa.

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"We see strong potential in destinations and experiences such as the Winelands, the Garden Route, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga, along with our coastal experiences, culinary journeys, cultural heritage and adventure offerings.

A traveller who comes to Cape Town can explore the Winelands or continue along the Garden Route. Similarly, a wildlife itinerary can be combined with culture, adventure and premium experiences," he said.

He said there is a scope for industry collaboration between the tourist destinations of Rajasthan and South Africa.

"Rajasthan and South Africa have some very interesting synergies, particularly around heritage, luxury, wildlife, weddings and experiential travel. Both destinations appeal to travellers looking for distinctive and immersive experiences," Dockrat said.

"For us, Rajasthan is also an important emerging market because of its growing base of affluent and experience-led travellers," he added.

Dockrat said accessibility, particularly visas and air connectivity, is the biggest priority for accelerating Indian arrivals.

"South Africa has introduced the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme and is moving towards a more digital visa process through the Electronic Travel Authorisation system. Air connectivity is a significant priority for us, and direct connectivity between South Africa and India is very much on our radar," Dockrat said, adding South African Tourism is working with airline partners and stakeholders to strengthen connectivity.

The tourism body is also widening its focus beyond traditional markets such as Mumbai and Delhi to cities, including Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Pune, Hyderabad and Chennai, through India-specific marketing, trade engagement, cooperative campaigns, training programmes and roadshows.

Dockrat said that 2027 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup, to be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, could become one of the country's biggest tourism opportunities from India.

"Cricket has an emotional connection with Indian audiences that few other events can match, and a World Cup provides a strong reason to travel," he said.

The strategy is to turn match-driven visits into longer holidays covering wildlife, Winelands, coastlines, food, culture and adventure.

South Africa is also promoting destinations beyond Cape Town and Johannesburg, including the Garden Route, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.

On safety concerns, Dockrat said visitors should use reputable operators, plan responsibly and follow local guidance, while describing South Africa as a "warm, diverse and welcoming destination".

On BRICS tourism cooperation, he said its practical value would lie in reducing travel friction rather than merely increasing promotion.

"The real value of BRICS tourism cooperation will be in making travel easier in practical terms," Dockrat said, citing potential cooperation on air connectivity, tourism investment and business and MICE travel.

He said a common BRICS tourist visa could be a long-term possibility.However, he said, visa policy is the responsibility of individual governments and immigration authorities.