SADC ministers advance Tourism UNIVISA – RETOSA wind up on agenda
SADC ministers responsible for tourism met virtually on 10 February 2026, chaired by South Africa’s Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille, to review progress on the SADC Tourism UNIVISA pilot and provide strategic guidance to the Secretariat. The session also considered concluding the winding‑up of the Regional Tourism Organisation of Southern Africa, with participation from ministers or representatives of 14 Member States and the SADC Secretariat.
SADC Deputy Executive Secretary for Regional Integration, Angele Makombo N’tumba, urged endorsement of the draft agreement establishing the UNIVISA and finalisation of RETOSA’s wind‑up, highlighting the UNIVISA’s potential to simplify travel, support multi‑country itineraries, extend visitor stays and boost economic benefits. The meeting reaffirmed tourism’s role in inclusive growth and regional integration, aligning with the SADC Treaty, the Protocol on the Development of Tourism and the SADC Tourism Programme 2020–2030.
Source: SADC