The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has selected the first round of participating companies in its new Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS).

The scheme is aimed at boosting tourism arrivals from China and India, since South Africa has historically underperformed in attracting tourism spend from China and India.

Indian tourists currently account for 3.9% of all international visitors to South Africa, while Chinese tourists account for only 1.8%.

The DHA, with help from the Department of Tourism and the State Security Agency, selected 65 tour operators from South Africa, China and India through a thorough vetting and screening process to participate in the programme.

The TTOS initially had 141 applicants through a dedicated online portal.

The screening process included the use of AI to ensure applicants met the qualifying criteria of having at least 12 months’ operational experience and a record of legal compliance.

Among the foreign selected tour companies are Thomas Cook India, China International Travel Service, MakeMyTrip India and Shanghai Ctrip International Travel Service while local companies included Springbok Atlas Tours.

The DHA said it was impressed by how TTOS was able to attract high-profile participants within a few months, which shows a vote of confidence in the programme and the appetite of international tourists to visit South Africa.

The selected tour operators for TTOS are in the process of signing agreements with DHA that will hold the companies liable for any misrepresentation or transgressions committed by their customers.

In exchange for taking this risk, companies affiliated with TTOS will benefit from reduced red tape, including to overcome language barriers, as well as faster turnaround times when applying for visitor visas for their customers.

“The conceptualisation and rollout of TTOS within the space of a few months demonstrates the commitment of Home Affairs to delivering on the apex priority of the Government of National Unity, which is to increase economic growth and create jobs,” says Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber, who initiated the programme.

He looks forward to the first arrivals under the TTOS within a matter of weeks.

Schreiber also affirms that DHA’s foremost goal remains the total digital transformation of all home affairs processes, including the application, adjudication and communication of visa outcomes, which will altogether eliminate visa delays as an obstacle to tourism.

“In the interim until we reach that goal, we will use TTOS as a key programme to catalyse further growth and job creation in the South African tourism sector.”