Digital visa scheme brings more than 11,000 Chinese and Indian tourists to SA in three months
A new digital visa scheme piloted by the home affairs department has drawn more than 11,000 tourists from China and India to South Africa in three months, with officials hailing it as a breakthrough for tourism and job creation.
Home affairs minister Leon Schreiber announced that since the launch of the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS) in late February, a total of 11,144 tourists have obtained digital visas to visit South Africa.
The scheme, which operates in partnership with 65 tour operators, is aimed at addressing the long-standing visa challenges faced by travellers from two of the world's most populous countries.
'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.'
According to the minister, the initiative has seen consistent growth in visa applications, with the daily average increasing from 50 in March to 135 in April and 210 in May.
'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,' said Schreiber.
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Schreiber's focus on quick wins and measurable progress is smart politics, but the Estonian experience suggests the real work lies in the unglamorous fundamentals: data integrity, system interoperability, cybersecurity, and building public trust through consistent delivery — which is not our national strength. DM
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