Industry experts believe South Africas Trusted Tour Operator Scheme TTOS came too late to capture early post-COVID rebound in travel from China a market that continues to be held back by previous visa frustrations, lack of affordable and direct air access and insufficient presence on Chinese digital platforms.
According to the latest International Tourism Report, South Africa recorded 29 951 Chinese arrivals between January and September 5 below 2024 and 58 behind the comparative 2019 figure. This despite the successful introduction of the TTOS scheme streamlining group visa processing for visitors from China and India at the start of the year.
While the introduction of the TTOS is a step forward, it came too late to capture the early post-pandemic rebound. In short, South Africa is still 12-18 months behind the curve in Chinese market recovery, Johan van Schalkwyk , Commercial Officer at the Aquila Collection, told Tourism Update .