The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat has reported notable progress on regional tourism integration at Internationale Tourismus Börse (ITB) Berlin 2026, where Angola was the Official Host Country on 4 March 2026.
The update was shared during a stakeholder session supported by the German Government and the European Union and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. The SADC Tourism Programme 2020–2030 provides a coordinated roadmap for sustainable tourism development across the bloc’s 16 member states.
Programme Officer for Policy and Market Development, Ms. Marygoreth Mushi, highlighted advances in three priority areas: visa harmonisation, air access, and cross-border product development. She stressed that regional cooperation is central to unlocking tourism’s full potential as a driver of inclusive growth, employment, and environmental stewardship across Southern Africa.
A completed Air Access Study has been submitted for ministerial review. The study identifies slow implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), high aviation taxes, limited routes, and inadequate infrastructure as key constraints.
Recommendations include fast-tracking SAATM adoption, harmonising aviation-related charges, and coordinating infrastructure investment. The Southern Africa Tourism Alliance (SATA) confirmed it will help operationalise these findings through its private sector networks.
Progress was also reported on the SADC Tourism UniVisa pilot project, involving Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. ICT systems, legal frameworks, and revenue-sharing models have been developed, benchmarked against the KAZA UniVisa and East African Tourism Visa.
A customer service training programme for immigration personnel has been introduced to balance security with visitor experience. SATA has supported delivery through border management training and disaster risk management initiatives.
Cross-border tourism integration is advancing through Transfrontier Conservation Areas, where reducing travel friction is seen as key to competitiveness. Mr. Nick Tucker of Boundless Southern Africa Programme noted that nothing makes regional integration more tangible than a functioning cross-border tourism experience, and every reduction in friction increases competitiveness.
The SADC Tourism Programme aims to ensure that by 2030, cross-border multi-destination tourism in Southern Africa exceeds the global average growth rate. Chairing the session, Acting Chief Executive Office of South Africa Tourism, Dr. Shamilla Chettiar, emphasised collaboration as the foundation of the sector, stating that stakeholders must work together in order to compete effectively.
