The steep cost of visas and the red tape of acquiring one is putting off people from visiting Britain and damaging tourism, the national tourism agency claimed on Monday.

VisitBritain highlighted its fears on the day that Jacqui Smith, home secretary, added South Africa to the list of countries whose citizens require visas to visit Britain. South Africans, who make up the fifth biggest market for the UK visitor economy, will need to provide fingerprints and require a six-month visa, costing £65 ($96).