Stakeholders feel ramifications of new immigration law

WHILE the Department
of Home Affairs
continues discussions
with tourism and travel
associations, asking for stats
and specifics on how the
Immigration Amendment Act
will negatively affect the sector,
stakeholders are already
seeing the effects.
During a recent media
briefing, DHA director-general,
Mkuseli Apleni, said: “People
have been raising this
matter about the regulations
affecting tourism negatively
but unfortunately nobody
has come forward and said
‘regulation A is going to affect
tourism in this respect’.”
Mkuseli said Minister
Malusi Gigaba had indicated
that the laws were not cast
in stone. “If people come to
us with valid reasons, then
we will evaluate them and on
that basis decide what will be
the way forward. But just on
the basis of a statement it’s
difficult to understand.”
SATSA is working with the
TBCSA to compile a report that
will outline the effect of the
new Immigration Act. “We have
commissioned Grant Thornton
to pull a coherent document
together that looks at potential
losses both in terms of birth
certificates and biometric
visas. This is work in progress
but it aims to look at best
practice in both regards,” says
SATSA ceo, David Frost.
He adds that he is
encouraged by the statement
from Minister Gigaba that
the door is not closed and
that Home Affairs will be
receptive to input. However
he warns that the uncertainty
surrounding the new
regulations is already having
an effect and many SATSA
members have reported
cancellations.
The consequences
Cullinan Holdings ceo, Michael
Tollman, said the impact of
the immigration regulations
could already be felt on
inbound tourism from China.
He told TNW he had submitted
two letters to Minister Gigaba
outlining the effects of the
Immigration Act. Michael says
he received feedback from
travel agents in China who
were forecasting a 70% drop
in travel to South Africa. “The
Chinese travel trade have
officially stopped all marketing
for packages to South Africa,
and have said they are not
taking any more bookings for
South Africa after October.
They have started advising
clients to rather travel to
Dubai, Tanzania and Kenya.”
Tamur Goudarzi-Pour,
Lufthansa’s vp for Middle East,
Africa and Southeast Europe,
told TNW he was greatly
concerned about the new
immigration regulations and
foresaw significant negative
effects on both outbound and
inbound passenger volumes.
“Should the new regulations
be implemented, the
Lufthansa Group will be closely
monitoring the capacity offered
into South Africa.”
Lenél Vining, Air Austral’s
manager for SA, says the new
Immigration Act will impact
on passenger numbers, as
most traffic to and from South
Africa consists of families
with children. She expects an
official complaint to the DHA
from the market in Réunion in
due course.
Addressing members of the
industry at the TBSCA agm
last week, newly appointed
SA Minister of Tourism,
Derek Hanekom, said: “I am,
together with the department,
very open to your ideas. This
is not the last session but the
beginning of a much longer
period of dialogue.” He added
that he would be very keen
to meet with each of the
associations in the industry.
Minister Hanekom conceded
that having direct routes to
SA played a significant role
in attracting tourists, adding
that there were economic
considerations in the retention
of a flight. “There will be
flights that on their own are
not profitable but they may
have enormous value, not only
in tourism but in trade.” He
said he would engage with the
Minister of Public Enterprises
in this regard.
Responding to questions
on the new regulations,
Derek said that, given that
the discussion on the new
regulations was ongoing, the
ministry did not want to preempt
the outcome of these
discussions.
“It is important to say that
the industry and many players
in the industry are engaging
directly with the Minister. Let
that discussion between the
stakeholders and the Minister
proceed.”