Over one lakh Indian tourists likely to visit South Africa: Official

Coimbatore: South African Tourism is expecting over one lakh tourists from India this year, a senior official said on Saturday.

The country has registered a 21.7 percent increase in arrival of Indian leisure visitors in 2016, which stood at 95,377 and is in 8th position among international source markets, South African Tourism country manager-India, Hanneli Slabber told reporters here.

A total of 78,385 Indian tourists arrived in South Africa in 2015, which went up significantly in the last financial year, she said.

However, demonetisation had affected tourist inflow between December, 2016 and March, 2017, but picked up from April, she said.

Slabber, here as part of 7th edition of board's annual travel trade training sessions, said Coimbatore had been identified as one of the emerging source markets, driving tourist traffic to South Africa.

Stating that air travel consumption from Tier II and III Indian cities rose to a record 55 per cent in 2016, she said hotel bookings from these cities was 71 percent during the year.

Coimbatore residents, though traditionally conservative travelers, had in recent times opened up to exploring newer destinations, Slabber said.

The proportion of solo women travelers, particularly business and adventure, from the city had also been steadily rising, she said.