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South Africa’s Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille, has concluded a strategic working visit to Luanda, reinforcing bilateral relations between South Africa and Angola and advancing shared goals in tourism, trade, and investment.
Held under the theme “Growing the Travel Economy between South Africa and Angola,” the visit aligns with South Africa’s broader objective to stimulate growth in key African markets and promote inclusive economic development through tourism.
A major breakthrough from the visit was the agreement to remove restrictions on passenger and cargo flight capacity and frequency between the two countries, effective 24 March 2026. This move is expected to significantly enhance travel accessibility, increase tourism demand, strengthen trade flows, and support job creation across the tourism value chain.
During the visit, Minister de Lille engaged in bilateral discussions with Angola’s Minister of Tourism, Márcio de Jesus Lopes Daniel. These engagements resulted in the signing of a three-year Action Plan on Tourism Cooperation, aimed at driving both immediate and long-term opportunities.
Key areas of collaboration include:
- Tourism Investment: Promotion of viable investment opportunities, strengthened investor partnerships, and support for infrastructure development. South Africa presented its tourism investment pipeline to attract strategic investors.
- Joint Destination Marketing: Coordinated campaigns to position Southern Africa as an attractive, accessible, and high-value tourism region, supported by improved air connectivity.
- Skills and Capacity Development: Enhanced cooperation in tourism skills training, enterprise development, and support for small businesses to ensure broader participation in the tourism economy.
Minister de Lille emphasized that tourism extends beyond travel, serving as a catalyst for investment, employment, and economic opportunity. She highlighted that the partnership with Angola opens new pathways for shared prosperity between the two nations.
The visit also reinforced South Africa’s positioning within the Angolan market. Angola, the second-largest economy in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), remains a key source market, with over 41,700 Angolan visitors recorded in 2025—a 10% increase year-on-year.
Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to sustained engagement, targeted marketing, and improved travel access. As part of joint promotional efforts, South Africa will also support the marketing of Angola as a destination to South African travellers.
In addition, Minister de Lille attended the launch of the Luanda E1 Grand Prix, highlighting the role of major international events in driving tourism growth. Such events contribute to global visibility, attract high-value travellers and investors, stimulate local economies, and strengthen Africa’s position as a competitive global destination.
The visit underscores the importance of strategic partnerships in advancing sustainable and inclusive tourism growth across the continent, positioning Africa as a dynamic and competitive player in the global tourism landscape.
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South Africa is intensifying its efforts to grow tourism across the African continent by strengthening partnerships with key regional markets. As part of this strategy, Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille undertook a high-level visit to Luanda, Angola, aimed at boosting bilateral cooperation, unlocking investment opportunities, and positioning South Africa as a preferred destination for Angolan travellers.
