Cape Town – A new digital visa initiative by South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs has attracted over 11,000 tourists from China and India in just three months, marking a significant breakthrough for tourism and job creation.
Launched in late February, the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS) works with 65 tour operators to fast-track visa approvals through a secure online platform.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said the scheme has already led to an estimated 857 new tourism jobs, with daily visa applications rising sharply from March to May.
TTOS addresses previous challenges faced by tourists from these countries, such as long travel distances for visa applications and delayed outcomes.
“It is important to note that TTOS is still just a small-scale proof of concept,” said Schreiber. “But after three months of operation it is already clear that it has been a resounding success,” Times Live quoted the minister as saying.
Just 3 months after the launch of the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme, this digital platform for group travel from China and India has already attracted 11 144 additional tourists! Every 13 tourists = 1 new job, meaning 857 new jobs already. But this is just the start.
The success… pic.twitter.com/rNpCIhS06E
— Leon Schreiber (@Leon_Schreib) May 27, 2025
The minister noted that the number of tourists from China via TTOS already represents nearly a third of all Chinese visitors in 2023.
Plans are underway to expand the scheme and introduce a broader Electronic Travel Authorisation system, which aims to digitise and automate short-stay visas globally.
Schreiber described the digital visa rollout as potentially the most impactful tourism reform in decades.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
