South Africa’s inbound and outbound airlift has seen continuous recovery as key source market airlines have reinstated their routes into the country over the past year.

This was the word from Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille, who told delegates at the launch of Africa’s Travel Indaba this week that the country’s airlift recovery was encouraging and showing continual improvement.

“Making trade and travel seamless across our continent and the various other markets is an absolutely crucial component of economic growth. We need to have enough airlift – to meet both domestic, regional and international demand,” said De Lille.

“Last year we welcomed numerous direct flights from our key source markets into various parts of our country, such as the direct United Airlines flight from Cape Town to Newark in the United States of America.”

Air China's Flight 867 from Beijing-Shenzhen-Johannesburg arrived at OR Tambo International Airport on Wednesday (March 29) she added, marking a significant point in the sector’s recovery.

“This flight marks a significant milestone as the first flight for group tours since the pandemic started in 2020, which is of great importance to Chinese arrivals to South Africa. China is the most promising source market.”

She said South Africa had attracted almost 100 000 visitors from China before the start of the pandemic.

“It is possible to push the number to one million by 2030. If we reach this target, more than R100 billion (€5.1bn) in Chinese tourism spend could be generated over a five-year period and this could reduce unemployment significantly. The impact on the economy of South Africa will be positive and sustainable.”

The Minister said she would be working with key stakeholders to remove key barriers to growing tourism arrivals, including tapping the “great potential” for travel to Africa by tourists from BRICS countries.

“We are also expecting the LATAM flight from Brazil to OR Tambo International Airport soon, which will also present a boost to the tourism sector and travel of Brazilian tourists to South Africa. The LATAM Airlines Group plans to re-launch a non-stop flight between São Paulo International Airport, Brazil, and OR Tambo International Airport, later this year.”

The route will resume after more than three years, following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“With the new route, customers will be able to travel between Johannesburg and Brazil in nine hours on one of the three direct weekly flights to be carried out on Boeing 787-9 aircraft, which accommodates 300 passengers.”

She added that South African Airways had also expanded its routes to markets across Africa in 2022. “These flights undoubtedly contribute to boosting our attractiveness and will contribute to seeing us return to pre-COVID-19 performance levels and beyond,”