Massive visa boost for South Africa

 ·14 Jan 2025

Home Affairs has selected the participants of its Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS), which should increase tourist numbers from China and India.

Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber said that 65 participants have been selected in the TTOS, which he said has the potential to add jobs to South Africa.

Schreiber said that the participants include some of the biggest industry players in China, India and South Africa.

Among the 65 participants include:

  • Thomas Cook India
  • China International Travel Service
  • MakeMyTrip India
  • Shanghai CTrip International Travel Service
  • Springbok Atlas Tours & Safaris
  • SOTC Travel
  • Kesari Tours
  • Beijing Caissa Sunho International Travel Service

“By reducing red tape and improving visa turnaround times for the tour operators participating in TTOS, Home Affairs is helping to unlock group tourism from the major source markets of China and India to create new jobs for the people of South Africa,” said Schreiber.

“The selected TTOS participants are signing agreements with Home Affairs that will hold the companies liable for any misrepresentation or transgressions committed by their clients.”

“In exchange for taking on this risk, companies affiliated with TTOS will benefit from reduced red tape, including overcoming language barriers, as well as faster turnaround times when applying for visitors’ visas for their clients.”

Schreiber also thanked Minister of Tourism Patricia De Lille, a member of the Good party, and Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, a member of the ANC, for their contributions in giving the TTOS flight.

China and India are the world’s two most populous countries, but South Africa has struggled to attract tourists as the two Asian nations are experiencing high growth levels.

Schreiber said that tourists from China and India have previously been deterred to coming to South Africa by visa inefficiencies, preventing them from spending their valuable foreign currency.

South Africa is in desperate need of a tourism kick, with the nation bringing far fewer tourist numbers and funds compared to Morocco and Egpyt.

Tourists’ total foreign direct spending (TFDS) reached R95 billion in 2023, the latest data available, equivalent to $4.9 billion, this is far below Egypt’s R14 billion for 2024.

Visa boosts in South Africa

The latest announcement follows Home Affairs making strong progress in clearing its visa application backlog.

Although the Minister granted a further extension for the concession period for foreign nationals who are awaiting the outcome of their applications to the end of March 2025, Jaco Brits, Senior Immigration Consultant at Xpatweb, commended the department for its progress in the second half of 2024.

Although the the visa backlog has been eradicated by the end of 2024, a backlog exists appeals area and permanent residence permit applications.

Brits said what the DHA had achieved in tackling the backlog deserved to be celebrated.

Schreiber had announced that, within a matter of months, the department had processed over 260,000 applications and would hit a 94% backlog eradication before the year-end.

Brits said that this was a landmark, establishing new efficiency benchmarks at the Department.

“This accomplishment not only demonstrates the department’s ability to meet ambitious goals but also sets a promising stage for further improvements in adjudication quality in the coming year,” said Brits.


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