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In January 2025, South Africa will launch the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS) to attract more tourists from China and India. The initiative will invite vetted tour operators from these countries to register with the Department of Home Affairs, aiming to simplify the visa process for large tour groups.
In 2023, 93,000 Chinese nationals visited South Africa. However, Minister Leon Schreiber highlighted the country’s underperformance in attracting more visitors due to bureaucratic hurdles. “A lot of the blockage has to do with red tape that Chinese tourists face when trying to visit South Africa,” Schreiber said. “The TTOS aims to reduce these barriers and make it easier for tourists to come.”
The scheme will include a dedicated team of visa adjudicators to ensure fast and efficient processing of tourist visa applications. Currently, Indian tourists represent 3.9% of international visitors to South Africa, while Chinese tourists account for just 1.8%.
The initiative has been welcomed by the hospitality industry. Angela Wu, director of the travel service department at upGrowth, noted that simplified visa procedures could lead to a significant increase in Chinese visitors. “If the visa application process is efficient and streamlined, it will definitely attract many more clients from China,” she said.
South Africa ranks among the top five most visited countries in Africa. The Department of Home Affairs projects that a 10% annual increase in tourism could boost economic growth by 0.6% and create thousands of jobs.
TTOS will also target tourists from non-visa-exempt countries, further broadening the scheme’s impact.
