Inbound operators specialising in the Indian market say a direct service to South Africa could restore the country’s competitiveness in the Indian market where long travel times have pushed visitors towards East Africa.
SAA is eyeing the launch of a direct service – likely between Mumbai and Johannesburg – in the first half of 2026. Discussions are underway with Indian airlines India Air, IndiGo and SpiceJet.
Current routes connecting via the Middle East or Addis Ababa often discourage potential visitors. “We believe South Africa’s tourism would receive a significant boost if there were at least biweekly non-stop flights from India,” says Smita Srivastava, Co-Founder of Chalo Africa. “Longer travel times mean fewer nights spent within South Africa. We are increasingly seeing guests choose East Africa because the connections are easier. This is a real loss for South Africa.”
East African operators have benefitted from direct airlift into Nairobi and Kampala, agrees Jon Danks, former CEO of ATTA. “They have fostered stronger relationships with the India trade and have been rewarded by their investment in tourism events in India and China. There remains significant scope for South African private-sector operators to drive greater investment in Asia.”
Accessing secondary markets
Lack of connectivity has particularly hampered tourism from smaller cities in India, says Annelise Bothma, GM of Albatros Travel. “These have huge growth potential but connectivity has always been a restricting factor,” she said.
In light of the growing interest from these tier 2 and 3 markets, SA Tourism expanded its presence in these cities. “Our Corporate Think Tank initiative specifically targets MICE tourism hosted across four prominent Indian cities. Apart from that, our long-standing Learn SA programme, focusing on tier 2 cities, continues to upskill Indian travel agents with destination knowledge and itinerary planning tools, enabling them to confidently promote South Africa,” says Gcobani Mancotywa, SA Tourism’s GM for Asia, Australasia and the Middle East.
The new route is also expected to strengthen South Africa’s Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS) and support demand for the 2027 Cricket World Cup.
“The TTOS has been a great initiative to assist with processing group visas. It has enhanced partner confidence and faded the bitter taste of visa delays experienced in the past. A direct flight would help to tick all the checkboxes as a destination for Indian corporate and leisure groups,” says Bothma.
Boost for the 2027 Cricket World Cup
The direct flight will help meet the anticipated surge in demand for flights from India for the 2027 Cricket World Cup to be hosted in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
“Major sporting events of this scale act as powerful catalysts for air traffic growth, particularly from markets such as India where cricket is more than a sport; it is a national passion,” says ACSA’s Acting Group Manager for Traffic Development Mpho Rambau.
A direct flight would go beyond meeting demand from Indian fans, teams and media to strengthening long-term trade and cultural ties. “Our focus is to ensure that the Cricket World Cup is used as a strategic lever in our engagement with airlines and government stakeholders, positioning direct connectivity to India as a commercially viable and nationally beneficial initiative.”
Chalo Africa Creative Director Tanvi Srivastava says: “For a cricket-crazy nation like India, the chance to pair a world-class competition with the magic of an African safari will be a dream come true. We’re excited to market the tournament with real passion. With accessible direct flights, we believe tourism from India could grow exponentially not only during the tournament but afterwards.”
