Saudi Airlines direct flight between Jeddah and Johannesburg have returned since the beginning of December. Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille welcomed the returning route on Sunday in Johannesburg’s O.R Tambo International Airport. According to the minister, the move is a significant boost to efforts to grow tourism arrivals between South Africa and the rest of the world.
The Department of Tourism has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Tourism to work on various efforts to grow tourism between the two countries. South Africa has been working closely with its counterparts in Saudi Arabia, through the Ministry of Tourism in Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Air Connectivity Programme, and other stakeholders to grow tourism between South Africa and Saudi Arabia.
“Direct flights and increased air access are essential to our mission to ensure ease of travel that will encourage travellers and help increase the performance of the tourism sector.We have also submitted a proposal for motivate for a direct flight between Cape Town and Saudi Arabia as this will further boost our efforts to grow tourism especially cultural and religious tourism that will bring great benefits for Hajj and Umrah travellers,” Minister de Lille said.
Earlier this year, South Africa welcomed the move by the Saudi Arabian government to add the country’s e-visa system where travellers can easily apply for a visa online, in a quick and easy process. South Africa became the first African country to be added to Saudi Arabia’s e-visa system.
“I express my gratitude to all teams involved in the resumption of the direct flight between Jeddah and Johannesburg, including Saudi Airlines, ACSA, and all other role-players. The return of the route will see Saudi Airlines offer four weekly flights on this route from OR Tambo International Airport”
“We will continue working with our counterparts in Saudi Arabia to jointly promote and market these flights and tourism offerings in Saudi Arabia and South Africa to grow tourism numbers in our respective destinations. This latest move will undoubtedly increase tourism’s contribution to our economies,” Minster de Lille said.
