The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat has reported progress on regional tourism integration during the Internationale Tourismus Börse (ITB) Berlin 2026, where Angola served as the Official Host Country on 4 March 2026.
The update was presented 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 framework for sustainable tourism development across the bloc’s 16 member states.
Programme Officer for Policy and Market Development, Marygoreth Mushi, outlined progress in three priority areas: visa harmonisation, air access and cross-border tourism product development. Regional cooperation was highlighted as a key factor in unlocking tourism’s potential as a driver of economic growth, employment and environmental stewardship across Southern Africa.
An Air Access Study has been completed and submitted for ministerial review. The study identifies slow implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), high aviation taxes, limited route networks and infrastructure constraints as key challenges.
Recommendations include accelerating SAATM adoption, harmonising aviation-related charges and coordinating aviation infrastructure investment. The Southern Africa Tourism Alliance (SATA) confirmed it will support implementation through its private sector networks.
Progress was also reported on the SADC Tourism UniVisa pilot involving Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. ICT systems, legal frameworks and revenue-sharing models have been developed, drawing on lessons from the KAZA UniVisa and the East African Tourism Visa.
A customer service training programme for immigration personnel has been introduced to improve visitor experience while maintaining border security. SATA has supported implementation through border management training and disaster risk management initiatives.
Regional tourism integration is also advancing through Transfrontier Conservation Areas, where reducing travel barriers is considered essential to improving competitiveness.
The SADC Tourism Programme targets growth in cross-border multi-destination tourism in Southern Africa above the global average by 2030.
Chairing the session, Acting Chief Executive Officer of South African Tourism, Dr Shamilla Chettiar, emphasised the importance of collaboration among stakeholders to strengthen the competitiveness of the regional tourism sector.
