Africa’s Travel Indaba 2026 – Ramaphosa calls for borderless tourism in Africa
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is strongly advocating for borderless tourism and comprehensive visa reforms across Africa as he delivers a keynote address at Africa’s Travel Indaba 2026 this week in Durban. Speaking at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre on Tuesday, the South African president declared that “Africans are choosing Africa,” emphasizing that intra-African travel has become a critical driver of tourism growth, economic integration, and cultural exchange across the continent.
Ramaphosa’s message centers on Africa’s movement toward borderless tourism, a vision that aligns with the Indaba 2026 theme of “Unlimited Africa: Growing Africa’s Tourism.” He argued that removing travel barriers between African nations will unlock the continent’s immense economic potential while deepening regional ties. This advocacy reflects a growing recognition that tourism remains a key economic driver for South Africa and the broader African continent, contributing significantly to job creation and economic development.
The president highlighted that intra-African tourism is emerging as a transformative force. As more Africans choose to travel within their own continent rather than to Europe, Asia, or other destinations, the opportunity for regional economic integration becomes increasingly tangible. Ramaphosa stressed that borderless travel is not merely about convenience but about fostering a unified African economic space where people, goods, and services move freely.
A cornerstone of Ramaphosa’s proposal is the SADC Tourism UNIVISA, a regional visa that would allow seamless travel across all Southern African Development Community member states. South Africa is actively working with neighbouring countries to advance this initiative, which represents a significant step toward eliminating the bureaucratic obstacles that currently hinder African travellers.
The UNIVISA concept mirrors successful models like the Schengen visa in Europe, where a single visa permits travel across multiple countries. For Africa, such a system would dramatically simplify travel planning for tourists wanting to visit multiple destinations – say, South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Zambia – without needing separate visas for each country. This reform is critical for developing cross-border tourism circuits that showcase the region’s diverse attractions.
Beyond the UNIVISA, Ramaphosa outlined several visa reforms designed to make travel easier and more seamless. The South African government is rolling out an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system that will facilitate fully digital visa applications, leveraging artificial intelligence and automation to reduce turnaround times and minimize corruption opportunities.
The ETA system represents a game-changing shift from traditional, paper-based visa processes to streamlined digital applications. This technological upgrade promises smoother experiences for international visitors eager to explore South Africa and the broader region. Additionally, Ramaphosa announced plans for a Digital Nomad Visa, targeting remote workers who wish to live and work in South Africa while contributing to the local economy.
The president also highlighted South Africa’s efforts to expand one-stop border posts and develop cross-border tourism routes. These infrastructure improvements aim to strengthen regional mobility and trade while reducing the time and frustration travellers currently face at border crossings. One-stop border posts allow travellers to complete immigration formalities for two countries at a single location, dramatically reducing waiting times and improving the visitor experience.
Ramaphosa’s push for borderless tourism and visa reforms carries profound economic implications. Tourism continues to be a significant job creator across Africa, and removing travel barriers will enable many more tourists – both African and international – to visit the continent. By making travel easier, South Africa and its neighbours can capture a larger share of the growing market of Africans choosing to travel within their own continent.
The reforms also signal an open invitation for global investment and tourism. As Ramaphosa stated in his State of the National Address earlier this year, “As part of our reform agenda, we will continue to enhance our visa system to make it easier for skilled people to invest in our country and to grow tourism”. This aligns with broader efforts to resuscitate South Africa’s economy through tourism-led growth.
Beyond economics, Ramaphosa emphasized that borderless tourism fosters cultural exchange and strengthens African identity. When Africans travel more freely across the continent, they build connections, understand shared histories, and develop a stronger sense of continental solidarity. This cultural dimension is as important as the economic benefits for Africa’s long-term integration agenda.
Africa’s Travel Indaba 2026, running from May 12 to 14, provides the perfect platform for this vision. The event brings together tourism stakeholders from across the continent to discuss growth strategies, and Ramaphosa’s advocacy for borderless travel is resonating strongly with industry leaders who recognize the transformative potential of these reforms.
The president’s message is clear: Africa’s tourism future depends on removing artificial barriers and embracing a unified, borderless approach that allows the continent’s natural beauty, cultural richness, and economic potential to flourish.