South Africa has unveiled an innovative initiative aimed at enhancing tourism, particularly from India and China, with the introduction of the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS). This program invites tour operators from these two nations to collaborate with local counterparts to attract more visitors to the country.
The announcement was made two months after Minister of Home Affairs Dr. Leon Schreiber conceptualized the scheme. The TTOS is designed to facilitate job creation linked to increased tourism, addressing critical challenges related to visa processing and bureaucratic inefficiencies that have hindered South Africa’s ability to attract tourists from these emerging markets.
Following extensive discussions with the tourism ministry and industry stakeholders, the Department of Home Affairs emphasized the need to streamline processes to enhance South Africa’s appeal as a travel destination. The department has issued a call for established tour operators, both local and international, to participate in the scheme to help bring more tourists from China and India.
Recent statistics highlight the potential for growth in this sector. In 2023, Chinese tourists made over 100 million outbound trips, but South Africa only received 93,000 of those arrivals. In contrast, Australia attracted more than 1.4 million visitors from China during the same period. Currently, Indian tourists account for only 3.9% of all international visitors to South Africa, while Chinese tourists represent just 1.8%.
The TTOS aims to tackle various obstacles, including issues with processing group visa applications, capacity constraints at foreign missions, and language barriers. Approved tour operators will benefit from reduced red tape and expedited processing times for visa applications for large tour groups. The initiative also addresses the long-standing concerns of Indian operators regarding delays in securing visas for their clients.
Applications for the TTOS will be handled by a dedicated team of adjudicators to ensure efficient and reliable processing. Operators will be held accountable for any legal violations committed by tourists traveling under their management. The qualification criteria for the scheme were developed through public consultations with the tourism sector and other key stakeholders.
All applications will be evaluated based on a points system that considers legal compliance, operational experience, capacity, and cross-border collaboration, with a minimum of 12 months of operational experience required for consideration.
The expression of interest period will remain open for 30 days, after which the Home Affairs department will assess and vet applications in collaboration with other departments. The goal is to welcome the first group of tourists brought to South Africa through the TTOS by January 2025, with further enrollments to be considered based on capacity and program success.
Indian companies interested in joining the TTOS can express their interest by visiting touroperator.dha.gov.za:8443 or accessing the portal through the TTOS banner on www.dha.gov.za.
