The new visa regulations for child travellers have had the biggest impact on children entering South Africa from neighbouring countries and not from traditional tourist markets‚ the Department of Home Affairs said on Wednesday.

The department held the briefing to release arrivals statistics following the release of a study by the Tourism Business Council of South Africa‚ which estimated that the new regulations would cost South Africa R1.4-billion and cut tourist numbers by 100 000 this year.

The report cites two specific regulations for the drop‚ namely that anyone travelling with a minor have an unabridged birth certificate and the consent of both parents‚ and that those applying for a visa to South Africa must do so in person to have biometric data captured.

But Home Affairs DG Mkhuseli Apleni said on Wednesday that there had been a drop of about 20 000 people travelling to South Africa between June 1 and 22 this year‚ compared with the same period last year. He said it was too early to tell what the major cause of this was‚ but pointed to economic changes and perceptions around Ebola as possible contributing factors.

He was at pains to point out that arrivals from the United States and the United Kingdom‚ the fourth- and fifth-biggest arrivals in South Africa‚ had remained stable.

However‚ the number of children arriving in and leaving South Africa dropped considerably from 80 103 last year to 56 295 this year.

The number of children refused entry also increased from just 61 in 2013 and 107 last year to 806 this year.

A drop of nearly 8 000 young people travelling between South Africa and Lesotho between 2014 and 2015 was recorded. Apleni said many of these would be students attending schools in South Africa without the correct permits.

He said that the biggest drops were recorded at land borders‚ where the majority of children would be trafficked.

Arrivals of departures and arrivals for travellers of all ages at OR Tambo airport had only seen a slight decrease this year‚ while numbers of arrivals and departures at Cape Town International had increased.

Departmental spokesperson Mayihlome Tshwete said that “where children come in undocumented‚ we have to refuse them”.

He‚ however‚ said the figures released in the media were “an exaggeration of the numbers” and assertions that the drop in tourism numbers could all be contributed to the new regulations were “unfair”.