South Africa has launched a new Trusted Tour Operator Scheme, aimed at enhancing its appeal to tourists from India. According to the Home Affairs Department, the scheme, which is set to be implemented by January 2025, will reform the visa process as well as boost the creation of jobs in the tourism industry.
TTOS aims at removing key obstacles which have prevented South Africa becoming a top destination for tourists from the world’s fifth and second largest economies. Indian tourists currently make up only 3.9% of all international travellers to South Africa. The Department of Home Affairs in collaboration with the Department of Tourism as well as the Presidency and Operation Vulindlela is focusing on addressing the “unacceptable underperformance” of these markets by removing the barriers to tourism.
The initiative is a follow-up to the Trusted Employer Programme (TES), a visa processing system that streamlined visas for businesses seeking critical skills. Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber, inspired by TES’s success, directed that a similarly-structured approach be taken for tourists from countries not exempt from visas like India and China.
Under the TTOS program, approved and vetted tour operators from India or China will be invited by the Department to register. After being thoroughly screened, these operators will be responsible for the group members. The Department will process the group visa applications of these tourists in return. This will be the first time a similar system is implemented. The scheme will also reduce the red tape that previously hindered South Africa’s tourism potential.
Minister Schreiber stressed the economic benefits this initiative would bring, stating that “research indicates that boosting tourist numbers by only 10% per year could boost annual economic growth to 0.6 percent and create tens or thousands of jobs for South Africans.” He said that many tourists from India and China prefer travelling in large groups. The new visa system is designed for this preference.
Schreiber also emphasized that TTOS was just the beginning for Home Affairs to position itself as a economic enabler. “As exciting and innovative as TTOS might be, it’s only a temporary measure that will boost tourism while we work to digitally transform Home Affairs. He said that the ultimate vision was a fully-automated process which would deliver secure tourist visas digitally, within seconds, to tourists from all over the world.
