The Tour Operators Union of Ghana (TOUGHA) has welcomed South Africa’s recent announcement granting Ghanaian passport holders the ability to apply for visas online.
The South African High Commission in Ghana made this landmark declaration on September 28, effectively ending the conventional practice of physically submitting passports to the High Commission for visa processing.
In an interview with VoyagesAfriq, Mrs. Alisa Osei-Asamoah, President of TOUGHA, expressed her delight at this momentous development, emphasising its timeliness. She remarked, “This couldn’t have come at a better time, and as tour operators, we are thrilled. Many of our members organise outbound tours to South Africa, and the introduction of e-visas will undoubtedly streamline the visa application process.”
Mrs. Osei-Asamoah further elucidated that the e-visa system is expected to facilitate increased mobility between the two countries, fostering trade and tourism. She asserted, “At the union level, we have cultivated robust relationships with South Africa in recent years, actively participating in numerous industry trade shows and exploring various regions of South Africa. Therefore, the introduction of the e-visa will not only bolster these ties but also promote travel for tourism and trade.”
However, Mrs. Osei-Asamoah expressed her hope that the e-visa represents just the initial step towards achieving visa-free travel between the two nations in the near future. She stated, “As industry stakeholders, we have been advocating for these changes, and I hope that eventually, travel between the two countries will become visa-free, with the e-visa serving as the initial milestone on this journey.”
The TOUGHA President also urged Ghanaian authorities to expedite the establishment of their own e-visa platform to facilitate travel to Ghana. She stressed, “As the saying goes, ‘One good turn deserves another.’ It is only logical that Ghana also implements an e-visa system to cater not only to South African travelers but to all those who wish to visit our country.”
