The Department of Home Affairs has provided certain updates with regards to the launch of Phase 2 of the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS), as well as the introduction of certain new visas.

The Trusted Tour Operator Scheme was introduced in 2024 to enable qualified Tour Operators that were marketing South African tours in India and China. The Scheme allowed those Tour Operators to apply for visas on behalf of their clients instead of the clients having to submit individual visa applications. In terms of the TTOS the Tour Operators assumed responsibility for their clients. The Scheme This scheme has been very successful, and Phase 2 has now been implemented. Phase 2 allows an additional 45 Tour Operators onto the scheme in addition to the 65 Tour Operators that already had access to it.

It's estimated that the Scheme has attracted an additional 25 000 tourists to South Africa and in the process creating an additional 1 900 new jobs.

The Department has also started planning the introduction of 2 visas. These are the following:

1. Screen Talent and Global Entertainment Scheme (STAGES):

This visa is aimed at film production companies and will allow visa applications from film production companies to be efficiently and promptly processed. This will be done online and won’t require the applicants to submit their applications at the relevant South African Embassy. STAGES is being introduced due to South Africa losing a R 400 million Netflix production due to delays in the issuing of the production company’s visas.

2. Meetings, Events, Exhibitions, and Tourism Scheme (MEETS):

Meets will focus on visa applications for international visitors for conferences, sporting events, exhibitions and other global events, and will also provide online visa submission and efficient processing.

Neither of the above Schemes have launch dates at this stage but the most likely scenario would be early in 2026.