South Africa is ramping up efforts to capture a greater share of the booming Chinese outbound travel market with a faster and more seamless visa application process for travelers from India and China, attracting over 25, 000 tourists since its launch last February.
The country's legislative capital of Cape Town, boasting stunning natural landscape, diverse culture, and a wealth of festivals, is a popular tourist destination for global visitors. From Table Mountain, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to the Chapman Highway, Cape of Good Hope, Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, and abundant wildlife, the local tourism industry continues to demonstrate its appeal.
Official data showed that in the first half of 2025, South Africa posted a double-digit rise in tourist arrivals from China compared to the same period in 2024. In the Western Cape province, Chinese tourists have a higher length of stay and per capita spending than the average level, giving a boost to the local travel sector and related industries.
"We have set ourselves the ambitious goal of doubling tourism by that year (2035), which will require an additional one million international arrivals. And This is why China is in fact so important strategically for the Western Cape, because if we are going to achieve that goal of doubling tourism and increasing the number of international arrivals, we will need to leverage the tourism growth that we know can come from this important market," said Russel Bruton, chief marketing and innovation officer at the Official Tourism, Trade and Investment Promotion Agency for Cape Town and the Western Cape or WESGRO.
South Africa launched the first phase of the digital Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS) in late February 2025 to streamline visa applications and boost arrivals from India and China, allowing 65 selected tour operators to fast-track visa applications for group travelers via a secure digital platform.
In August, Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber announced the launch of the scheme's second phase, which adds another 45 vetted tour operators to the list.
Previously, tourists from markets such as India and China had to submit paper-based visa applications in person and wait up to two weeks for a decision. Under the TTOS, applications are filed online and processed within 24 hours.
In November 2025, South Africa launched a personal e-visa system, allowing Chinese tourists to apply for tourist and business e-visas online. This further shortens the visa processing time and solves the problem of cumbersome paper visa procedures in the past.
"Currently, this ETA (electronic travel authorization) is very suitable for those planning to visit South Africa for tourism or business purposes. Moreover, it's becoming increasingly convenient as individuals can apply online," said Dong Gang, a lawyer.
South African tourism authorities have strengthened cooperation with airlines to launch more direct flights between China and South Africa, further shortening travel time.
South Africa's Cape Town eyes Chinese travelers with digital visa scheme
