Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS) digital platform goes live in South Africa, ET TravelWorld

In a significant move to enhance tourism through streamlined visa process from India and China, the South African Department of Home Affairs has launched the much-awaited digital platform for the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS), which went live today. This groundbreaking system is designed to streamline visa applications for large tour groups from India and China, two of South Africa’s key tourism markets, addressing long-standing inefficiencies in the visa process.

Previously, tourists from these countries faced significant hurdles, including long queues, bureaucratic delays, and the inability to process group applications efficiently. With only two South African missions in China and two in India serving a combined population of 2.8 billion, the system was overwhelmed.

The new TTOS platform eliminates these challenges by allowing vetted and approved tour operators to submit group applications digitally. Tourists will no longer need to visit a mission, fill out forms, or stand in queues. Instead, visas will be issued digitally within three days.

The impact of this change is expected to be substantial. In 2023, South Africa welcomed only 37,000 tourists from China and 79,000 from India. By improving visa efficiency and security, the TTOS aims to significantly boost these numbers, driving faster growth in tourism from these burgeoning markets.

Dr Leon Schreiber, Minister of Home Affairs, highlighted the importance of this initiative, stating, “The fact that Home Affairs took the TTOS from conceptualisation to implementation in less than six months demonstrates our commitment to digital transformation and our role as an economic enabler to create jobs.” He added that research shows every twelve new tourists attracted by TTOS could create one new job in South Africa, underscoring the potential of this digital transformation to drive economic growth. Minister Schreiber also acknowledged the collaborative efforts behind the project, thanking the in-house development team, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshaveni, and Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille for their support. “This shows the power of collaboration through the Government of National Unity as we pursue our apex priority to grow the economy and create jobs,” he said.

The launch of the TTOS digital platform marks a major step forward in South Africa’s efforts to position itself as a leading global tourism destination while fostering economic development and job creation.