JOHANNESBURG, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- South Africa started receiving group visa applications of tourists from China and India on Wednesday under a new initiative to facilitate a seamless process, the Department of Home Affairs announced on Wednesday.
According to the department, from 8 a.m. Wednesday, the application process went live, allowing 65 selected tour operators to apply for visas for group travelers from China and India. Chinese and Indian nationals planning to visit South Africa do not have to visit South Africa's missions abroad or stand in long queues to apply for visas.
South Africa is implementing the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS) on a pilot basis. The TTOS was announced last year to boost tourism arrivals from China and India, as Chinese tourists account for only 1.8 percent and Indian tourists 3.9 percent of all international visitors to South Africa.
"The fact that Home Affairs took the TTOS from conceptualization to implementation in less than six months demonstrates our commitment to embracing digital transformation and to playing our role as an economic enabler to create jobs," said Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber. "Research has shown that for every 12 new tourists attracted by TTOS, we can create one new job in South Africa."
He said that by improving visa efficiency and security through the TTOS, South Africa expects to see an increase in tourists from India and China. There are only two South African missions in China and two missions in India to serve the 2.8 billion people living in those two countries, and this initiative is expected to attract more tourists into South Africa, said Schreiber.
South African Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille welcomed the initiative on Wednesday, saying it is expected to boost tourism in the country.
"The Department of Tourism will use the visa enablers -- the electronic travel authorization, the trusted tour operator scheme, and the digital nomad visas to grow tourism in South Africa, targeting key source markets -- India and China," said de Lille.
She said these visa regime enhancements would increase arrivals to South Africa, which would in turn assist the government in achieving the goals of driving economic growth and creating jobs.
A single purchase
