The Southern African Development Community (SADC) UniVisa initiative has moved a step closer to becoming a reality following renewed commitments by tourism ministers and regional stakeholders to fast-track its adoption and implementation.
The proposed UniVisa, which seeks to introduce a single tourist visa for multiple Southern African countries, is expected to transform regional tourism by making travel across borders easier, cheaper and more efficient for international and intra-African travellers.
According to information shared by the SADC Secretariat, the development emerged during a high-level side event jointly organised by SADC and the Southern Africa Tourism Alliance (SATA) at Africa’s Travel Indaba in Durban, South Africa, on May 13, 2026.
Speaking during the dialogue, SADC Secretariat Programme Officer for Policy and Market Development Marygoreth Mushi said the UniVisa initiative was advancing through the regional inter-ministerial process and was now moving towards consideration by Heads of State.
She said the UniVisa formed part of broader efforts under the SADC Tourism Programme 2020-2030 aimed at improving regional integration, tourism growth and cross-border travel efficiency.
According to Mushi, the region was no longer discussing concepts on paper but was beginning to implement practical regional solutions.
“Through the SADC Tourism UniVisa now advancing toward Heads of State, the air access study and its recommendations, the border post audit commencing in July, and the tourism market strategy positioning the SADC Transfrontier Conservation Areas, the region is turning protocols into tangible, regional solutions,” she said.
The UniVisa initiative is expected to operate in a similar manner to Europe’s Schengen visa system, allowing tourists to move freely between participating countries using a single visa instead of applying separately for each destination.
Tourism experts believe the initiative could significantly boost regional tourism by encouraging multi-country travel packages, longer tourist stays and increased spending within SADC member states.
Currently, international tourists visiting Southern Africa often face multiple visa applications, costly travel requirements and lengthy border procedures when moving between neighbouring countries.
SADC has identified visa restrictions, poor air connectivity and border inefficiencies as some of the major barriers slowing tourism growth in the region.
For countries such as Eswatini, the UniVisa is expected to create opportunities to attract tourists already visiting major destinations like South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Tourism analysts say Eswatini could benefit from being included in regional travel itineraries that connect tourists to wildlife, cultural heritage and eco-tourism attractions across Southern Africa.
The initiative is also expected to benefit smaller tourism economies within SADC that often struggle to compete individually against larger international destinations.
SADC tourism ministers have already reviewed progress on the UniVisa pilot project during a virtual meeting held in February this year.
Five countries — Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe — have been identified to pilot the regional tourism visa system.
Reports presented at international tourism platforms this year indicated that frameworks relating to information communication technology systems, legal arrangements and revenue-sharing mechanisms were already being developed under the pilot phase.
The discussions in Durban also focused on improving air access and border efficiency, which industry leaders described as essential pillars for unlocking regional tourism growth.
The side event was officially opened by South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Tourism and Deputy Chairperson of the Committee of SADC Ministers of Tourism, Makhotso Magdeline Sotyu.
Public and private sector representatives used the platform to discuss practical interventions required to improve tourism competitiveness in the region.
SATA Project Lead Ms Natalia Rosa told delegates that regional connectivity remained the most important strategic issue facing Southern Africa’s tourism sector.
“Every other conversation, about brand, about positioning, about the growth of our visitor economy, is downstream of it,” she said.
Rosa said implementation of regional tourism integration initiatives was already underway but stressed that stronger cooperation between governments and the private sector would determine success.
“What this gathering has shown is that implementation is underway, and that the next phase will be unlocked by the private sector being specific, costed and coordinated about what it needs from policymakers, and by the public sector being equally specific, time-bound and accountable about what it will deliver in return,” she said.
During the discussions, panellists called for the tourism industry to move away from a “public sector versus private sector” mindset towards a united “team tourism” approach.
Industry leaders also tabled proposals aimed at addressing operational barriers affecting tourism and travel across the region.
Chief Executive Officer of the Airlines Association of Southern Africa Mr Aaron Munetsi said taxes and charges on African air transport remained significantly higher than global averages.
He called for harmonisation of aviation policy, taxation systems and pilot licensing across all 16 SADC member states.
Meanwhile, Africa’s Eden Tourism Association Chief Executive Officer Jillian Blackbeard proposed the introduction of a SADC-wide tourist border post training programme.
The proposal includes dedicated tourist channels at border posts, standardised procedures and recognition systems for high-performing border crossings.
Women of Value Southern Africa President Dimakatso Malwela urged member states to introduce supply development initiatives targeting women-led businesses operating within the tourism value chain.
She proposed pilot projects across several member states, with measurable outcomes reported within a year.
Delegates attending the event also participated in a live poll that identified three new intra-regional air routes and one-stop border posts at the region’s busiest crossings as priority interventions likely to deliver meaningful tourism growth over the next two years.
Chairperson of SATA and Chief Executive Officer of the Tourism Business Council of South Africa Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa called on regional tourism bodies to reduce reliance on donor-driven programmes and take ownership of the regional integration agenda.
As part of the next phase, SATA and the SADC Secretariat will develop a coordinated regional position on visas, air access and border efficiency ahead of the SADC Summit scheduled for August.
South Africa’s Director-General of Tourism and Chairperson of the SADC Committee of Senior Officials of Tourism Nkhumeleni Victor Vele said regional solutions must be practical, costed and tailored to the realities of SADC’s development model.
The regional tourism integration agenda also includes a border post audit beginning in July 2026, recommendations from a completed regional air access study and efforts to position 10 Transfrontier Conservation Areas as unified tourism destinations.
SADC says tourism remains one of the region’s most important economic sectors, contributing billions of dollars to regional GDP and supporting millions of jobs across Southern Africa.
