Latest news with #TTOS
The South African
5 days ago
- Business
- The South African
Home Affairs' new TTOS sees over 11 000 tourists processed
South Africa's Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS) has already seen a number of China and India-focused tour operators reaping significant rewards from the new programme. According to Tourism Update , the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) recently revealed that a total of 11 144 tourists have been processed through the platform since it was established in February this year. Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber also reported that the volume of daily TTOS applications had grown from an average of 50 in March 2025 to 210 in May 2025. The DHA said that the TTOS currently grants 65 approved tour operators access to a digital platform where they are allowed to submit and receive visa outcomes for tour groups from both China and India. Johan Groenewald, one of these approved tour operators for India, highlighted a 'vast improvement' in visa processing through the TTOS. 'It is efficient and fast and the DHA is keeping to its commitment to process within a maximum five working days,' Groenewald said as per Tourism Update . Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
India Gazette
6 days ago
- Business
- India Gazette
More Chinese, Indian tourists visit South Africa under digital visa scheme
A total of 11,144 tourists from China and India have obtained digital visas to South Africa through the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS) since its launch on Feb. 11, South Africa's Department of Home Affairs said on Tuesday. JOHANNESBURG, May 28 (Xinhua) -- A total of 11,144 tourists from China and India have obtained digital visas to South Africa through the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS) since its launch on Feb. 11, South Africa's Department of Home Affairs said on Tuesday. The government introduced the TTOS to enable tourists from China and India to easily apply for visas to visit South Africa. In a statement, Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber said the volume of applications has grown consistently from an average of 50 per day in March, to 135 per day in April, and to 210 per day in May. "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," said Schreiber. "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," he said. He said research shows that one new job is created for every 13 tourists who visit the country, suggesting that TTOS has already created 857 new tourism jobs since February with just one reform alone. The TTOS visas ensure that potential tourists from those two target source markets digitally apply for visas within a matter of hours, as opposed to taking days, including visiting the offices of the South African government in those countries, according to Schreiber. "In addition to shortly announcing a second intake of tour operators to further boost the number of group tours attracted through TTOS, we are on track to deliver a world-class Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system this year," the minister said. "This system will completely digitalize 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 a decade," he said. South Africa appointed 65 tour operators from China, India and locally to facilitate group visa applications for tourists who intend to visit in groups. China and India are some of the key tourist source markets from which South Africa intends to lure more visitors.
The Herald
6 days ago
- Business
- The Herald
Digital visa scheme brings more than 11,000 Chinese and Indian tourists to SA in three months
Operation Vulindlela, which monitors progress in key structural reforms, found one job is created for every 13 tourists visiting the country. Based on this ratio, TTOS has already helped create an estimated 857 new tourism jobs since February. Previously, tourists from China and India were required to travel long distances to apply for visas, often receiving outcomes too late to travel. Under TTOS, visa outcomes are delivered digitally within hours through a secure online platform. Schreiber highlighted that last year's total number of tourists from China to South Africa stood at just more than 30,000, making the 11,000 brought in through TTOS in only three months 'almost a third of all tourists from China who visited South Africa last year'. ' The success of TTOS demonstrates the enormous growth potential 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. The minister confirmed plans to expand the scheme with a second intake of tour operators and rollout of a broader Electronic Travel Authorisation system later this year. ' This system will digitalise and automate tourism and short-stay visas, enabling every tourist on earth who wants to visit South Africa to instantly and securely obtain a digital visa,' said Schreiber. 'Not only will this eliminate fraud and inefficiency, but, as TTOS demonstrates beyond doubt, it will amount to the single biggest reform to boost job creation in the tourism sector in decades.' TimesLIVE
IOL News
6 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
South Africa's Trusted Tour Operator Scheme boosts tourism with over 11 000 new digital visas
The Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Leon Schreiber, on Tuesday announced, that through the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS) digital platform, 11 144 tourists from China and India obtained digital visas through the scheme in three months. Efforts to boost tourism in South Africa have seen significant gains as the Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Leon Schreiber, on Tuesday announced, that through the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS) digital platform, 11 144 tourists from China and India obtained digital visas through the scheme in three months. The department said that the volume of applications grew consistently from an average of 50 per day in March to 135 per day in April and to 210 per day in May thus far. "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 stated. The latest research facilitated by Operation Vulindlela showed that one new job is created for every 13 tourists who visit the country, suggesting that TTOS has already created 857 new tourism jobs since February with this one reform alone. Under TTOS, the Department of Home Affairs partnered with 65 tour operators under a risk-sharing model that grants them access to a digital platform to submit and receive visa outcomes for tour groups from China and India. Travellers from these major source markets, home to over 2.8 billion people, previously had to travel great distances to submit paper visa applications, the outcomes for which sometimes only arrived after their planes had already departed. TTOS visas are now consistently delivered digitally through a secure online platform 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.' Schreiber further added, 'This is exactly what Home Affairs is building. In addition to shortly announcing a second intake of tour operators to further boost the number of group tours 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.' BUSINESS REPORT Visit:
TimesLIVE
7 days ago
- Business
- TimesLIVE
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.
