Tight new child travel laws are in force in South Africa from today‚ amid broken promises to collaborate with the airline industry and the absence of even a single case of child trafficking in a decade of South African police records. This is according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA)‚ which represents 84% of global air traffic.“IATA is asking the South African Government to act in the best interests of the country and review‚ modify‚ and if necessary‚ rescind‚ the new measures if they do not have the desired effect and if they act as a handbrake on travel‚ tourism and economic growth‚ not just for South Africa - which is experiencing its weakest GDP performance in decades - but for the entire region‚” the association said in a statement.While the association and its member airlines would assist initiatives to combat child trafficking‚ IATA said‚ “it is in everyone’s interests that measures used to stop the illegal movement of people‚ do not have unintended side-effects that cause greater harm than good”.“From a commercial and economic perspective‚ the industry is concerned that the harsh and onerous requirements South Africa has prescribed for travellers will negatively impact on the sustainability of air services‚ travel‚ trade and tourism to‚ from and via South Africa.”Commenting on government statements that the new regulations were targeted at combating child trafficking‚ IATA said: “Airports are not the only points of entry and exit to a country. It is also worth noting that the South African Police Services official crime statistics for the period March 2004 – March 2014 do not mention a single reported case of child trafficking”. The international airline group said there was a lack of information from the departments of Home Affairs and International Cooperation on their readiness and ability to apply the new regulations.IATA said the Home Affairs Ministry had last September agreed to appoint a joint Government-Industry task group to research international best practices and make recommendations on the new regulations and their implementation prior to their implementation.“For reasons unknown to us‚ and despite several attempts to maintain an open channel with the Minister’s office‚ this task group was never appointed and none of the tasks undertaken.”IATA also noted that South Africa hosted a meeting of African Union transport ministers earlier this year‚ at which they committed to implementing a single common market for African airlines.“In their current form‚ South Africa’s new immigration regulations stand as an impediment to this and represent a potentially harmful example of a lack of joined-up and coordinated policy-making.”..