South Africa’s government is reviewing its new travel rules for minors after signs they are already hurting the key tourist sector, Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom has said.

Tourism has become the fastest-growing industry for Africa’s most advanced but ailing economy, with arrivals soaring after South Africa successfully hosted the 2010 soccer World Cup.

“Negative effects are being reported by tour operators and airlines which have taken the form of cancellations,” Hanekom told Reuters in Cape Town.

“Air China is reconsidering flights to South Africa (and) one of their reasons was the visa requirements.”

The new rules, implemented at the start of the month, require minors travelling with both parents to have an unabridged birth certificate with full details of both parents as well as a passport, visa and other documents.

The Department of Home Affairs says they are aimed at preventing the estimated 30,000 children the government says are trafficked into South Africa annually, often for prostitution or labour. Opposition parties, human rights groups and tourism firms say the true figure is much lower.

Yet Hanekom said the rules were undermining tourism, which contributes nearly a tenth to South Africa’s GDP.

“We need to review the regulations to find the right balance,” he said.

Pretoria postponed implementing the new rules last year after an outcry by tour firms who warned the proposed regulations would harm the sector.