Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille led a series of high-level engagements in Mexico during the opening week of the FIFA World Cup, meeting government officials and leading tourism industry players to showcase South Africa as a preferred travel destination.
The discussions formed part of a broader strategy to expand market access, boost visitor arrivals, and deepen tourism cooperation between the two countries.
"During the opening week of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Mexico, Minister de Lille met with Mexico's Vice Secretary of Tourism, Dr Nathalie Desplas Puel, the Secretary of Tourism of Mexico City, Alejandra Frausto and more than 40 leading Mexican tour operators to showcase South Africa's tourism offering and promote the benefits of the Electronic Travel Authorisation [ETA] system," the Ministry of Tourism said.
The FIFA World Cup, which began on June 11, is being jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, providing participating countries with a unique platform to promote trade, tourism and investment opportunities to a global audience.
According to South Africa's Ministry of Tourism, Mexico has emerged as one of the country's priority growth markets due to its large population and growing number of international travellers.
"With a population of more than 130 million people and a rapidly expanding middle and upper-income traveller segment, Mexico has been identified as one of South Africa's priority growth markets," the Ministry said.
As one of Latin America's largest outbound tourism markets, Mexico presents significant opportunities for South Africa to increase tourist arrivals, strengthen cultural and economic ties, and diversify its visitor base beyond traditional source markets.
Those efforts are already yielding results. South Africa has recorded steady growth in arrivals from Mexico over the past three years, with visitor numbers increasing at an average annual rate of 13 percent.
Government officials believe the introduction of the ETA system could further accelerate that growth by simplifying the visa application process and removing barriers that often discourage international travel.
Speaking on the initiative, Minister de Lille described the digital visa platform as a major milestone in modernising South Africa's tourism sector.
"This visa reform makes it easier than ever for Mexican travellers to visit our beautiful country. Applicants can apply from the comfort of their homes using a computer or mobile phone and receive their visa within 24 hours. Ease of access is one of the most powerful drivers of tourism growth, and we are already seeing strong interest from key international markets," she said.
The Electronic Travel Authorisation system enables travellers from eligible visa-required countries to obtain digital approval for tourism and visitor travel without going through the traditional visa application process.
Beyond promoting easier travel, discussions between South African and Mexican officials also focused on strengthening long-term tourism collaboration.
Building on the 2014 Memorandum of Understanding between the two countries, which is currently under review, South Africa and Mexico have agreed on a three-year Tourism Action Plan covering the period from 2026 to 2029.
The action plan is expected to drive cooperation in areas such as destination marketing, sports tourism, cultural tourism promotion, participation in international tourism trade fairs, knowledge exchange programmes and enhanced air connectivity.
A key focus of the discussions was improving flight connections between South Africa and Latin America, which officials view as essential to unlocking future tourism growth.
"Air access is a key pillar of the Tourism Growth Partnership Plan. The challenge before us is how we reduce the friction of travel between our countries and make South Africa more accessible to Mexican travellers. Stronger connectivity creates stronger tourism flows, deeper people-to-people ties and greater economic opportunities," de Lille explained.
South Africa has already begun expanding its international aviation network to support these ambitions.
Later this month, Spanish airline Air Europa will launch its first direct service between Madrid and Johannesburg, creating additional travel options for passengers connecting from Latin America.
In July, LATAM Airlines will also introduce three new weekly direct flights between São Paulo and Cape Town, strengthening links between South America and South Africa.
Tourism officials believe these new routes will not only improve accessibility but also support broader efforts to attract more visitors from Mexico and the wider Latin American region.
As South Africa continues investing in digital travel solutions, international partnerships and improved air access, government officials view Mexico as a strategic partner in advancing tourism, trade and investment relations between Africa and Latin America.
The latest engagements signal a growing commitment by both countries to transform tourism into a stronger driver of economic growth, cultural exchange and long-term cooperation.