South Africa: TTOS hits 11,000 tourist milestone as digital visas gain traction

Zawya

a day ago

The Department of Home Affairs' new digital Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS) has attracted over 11,000 tourists from China and India since its launch in late February this year, marking a significant milestone in South Africa's push to modernise its visa processes and stimulate tourism.
Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Leon Schreiber, announced the figures this week, confirming that 11,144 tourists have obtained digital visas via the TTOS platform in just three months. Daily application volumes have seen consistent growth, increasing from an average of 50 per day in March to 135 in April, and reaching 210 per day so far in May.
Addressing longstanding visa challenges
The initiative was designed to address longstanding visa processing challenges for travellers from two of South Africa's largest and fastest-growing tourism markets. 'These are tourists who otherwise would not have come to South Africa, given the challenges previously experienced with obtaining visas for tour groups from China and India,' the Department noted.
Early indicators suggest a tangible economic benefit. Research conducted through Operation Vulindlela indicates that one job is created for every 13 tourists visiting the country, which translates to approximately 857 new jobs generated by TTOS since February.
The scheme currently operates in partnership with 65 tour operators under a risk-sharing model, granting them access to a secure digital platform for submitting and receiving visa outcomes for tour groups. Where travellers from China and India previously had to navigate lengthy in-person application processes, outcomes are now delivered digitally within a matter of hours.
Minister Schreiber, who conceptualised the scheme, said: 'It is important to note that TTOS is still just a small-scale proof of concept. But after three months of operation, it is already clear that it has been a resounding success. TTOS has attracted over 11,000 additional tourists in this short time, working with just 65 partners.
"This amounts to almost a third of all tourists from China who visited South Africa last year. The success of TTOS demonstrates the enormous growth potential that we can unlock by rolling out a digital-only visa platform – not only for group travel from these 65 partners, but for every tourist in the world.'
Next steps: ETA system on the horizon
Looking ahead, the Department plans to announce a second intake of tour operators to expand the reach of TTOS and is on track to roll out a fully digital Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system later this year.
Minister Schreiber added: 'This is exactly what Home Affairs is building. In addition to announcing a second intake of tour operators to boost the number of group tours further attracted through TTOS, we are on track to deliver a world-class Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system this year.
"This system will completely digitalise and automate all tourism and short-stay visas, enabling every tourist on earth who wants to visit South Africa to instantly and securely obtain a digital visa. Not only will this eliminate fraud and inefficiency, but, as TTOS demonstrates beyond all doubt, it will amount to the single biggest reform to boost job creation in the tourism sector in decades.'
The Department of Tourism has also welcomed the early success of TTOS, describing it as 'a testament to what is possible when government works hand-in-hand with the private sector to remove barriers and unlock economic potential.'
The department expressed its full support for expanding the scheme and the introduction of a fully digital Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system. It emphasised that digital innovations like these are essential for boosting job creation, inclusive economic growth, and ensuring South Africa remains competitive as a global tourism destination.
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