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Home Affairs sticks to its guns on new visa laws

Source: Masa Kekana – EWN, 07/07/2015

Home Affairs says there's no concrete evidence proving tourism figures
dropped because of the new visa laws.
The Home Affairs Department maintains there is no concrete evidence of
a link between a drop in tourism figures and tighter visa regulations.

The Western Cape government`s investment arm, Wesgro, on Monday led a
workshop where the contentious new regulations were unpacked.

Wesgro CEO Tim Harris said the workshop is an example of how different
spheres of government can collaborate, which he says is encouraging.

The tourism sector used the opportunity to complain about dwindling
tourism figures they come as a result of the new visa regulations.

It`s a claim Home Affairs Deputy Minister Fatima Chohan disputed.

"There is no empirical evidence that suggests that it is because of
the regulations that numbers from China for example, have dwindled."

Chohan agreed with the tour operators claim that the Ebola outbreak in
West Africa affected tourism to South Africa.

"Actually Ebola is a huge, huge persuader from travelling anywhere
close to Africa."

She said it`s concerning the regulations are causing an uproar.

Chohan says the department is willing, wherever it can, to help the
public interpret the new rules.

Chohan said her ministry understands tourism contributes significantly
to the GDP but generally laws have to be beefed up.

The minister said the department will take the workshop to other
provinces.

The department said new visa and immigration regulations are in the
best interests of the country`s security.

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