The scheme aimed at simplifying and speeding up visa approvals allows selected tour operators to submit visa applications on behalf of tourists through a digital platform
A surge in demand from Indian and Chinese tour operators has prompted South Africa to reopen applications for its Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS). Launched in February, the scheme streamlines tourist visa processing through approved operators. The move highlights rising interest from India.
According to the press statement, the scheme, aimed at simplifying and speeding up visa approvals, allows selected tour operators to submit visa applications on behalf of tourists through a digital platform.
It adds that tour operators now have 30 days to apply through the online portal. Applications will be screened using Artificial Intelligence tools and assessed by an interdepartmental team.
The statement adds that the first Indian tourist visa under TTOS was processed on February 12, and since then, the Department has reported high volumes of interest, particularly from Indian tour operators.
It adds that the TTOS is part of South Africa’s broader effort to attract more tourists and boost job creation through streamlined visa processing. India remains a key focus market, with officials noting its strong outbound travel potential and growing appetite for South African destinations.
Leon Schreiber
“The key to the success of TTOS lies in the fact that the process has been digitally transformed from start to end. Whereas prospective tourists from China and India previously had to stand in long queues, submit paper applications, and sometimes wait so long for paper outcomes that they missed their flights, the digitalisation of this process through TTOS means that even visa outcomes for large groups are now issued digitally within hours,” says Dr Leon Schreiber, Minister of Home Affairs.
“In the weeks since TTOS was launched, over 2,000 additional tourists from China and India, who would otherwise not have come to our country owing to previous visa inefficiencies, have come to our country. Even more encouraging is the trend of applications received. On the first day of operation, February 12, 21 applications were received. Yesterday this figure had grown to 165 per day and shows no sign of slowing down. The intake of more operators will further accelerate this growth as Home Affairs delivers on our commitment to replace a manual, paper-based and insecure visa system with secure, world-class digital infrastructure to drive economic growth,” Schreiber adds.
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