Facilitating Tourism Growth Through Digital Visas | In Other News

By Jessie Taylor

South Africa is poised to embark on a significant leap forward in tourism facilitation with the introduction of a fully digital Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system. Scheduled to go live by the end of September 2025, the ETA will allow short stay tourists - those required to hold a visa for visits up to 90 days - to apply seamlessly from their smartphones.

This marks a milestone in digital transformation, delivering rapid visa issuance, reducing the risk of fraud, and vastly improving the visitor experience. The system was first announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa during the State of the Nation Address earlier in the year and demonstrated by Minister Leon Schreiber shortly thereafter.

A Game Changer For Tourism

Fast-track visa mechanisms such as the ETA streamline entry protocols, delivering reliability and convenience for travellers and reducing administrative burdens for immigration services. The ETA cuts queues and foot traffic at ports of entry, eliminating antiquated and time-consuming face-to-face processes. The automation of background checks and document verification also strengthens the integrity of border security while facilitating smoother passenger flows.

In parallel, South Africa’s Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS), a fast-track visa initiative for tourists arriving via accredited operators, has already shown promising uptake. In the first six months of operation, the TTOS attracted over 25000 tourists, particularly from Indian and Chinese markets, reinforcing confidence that digital-first tools can swiftly boost arrivals and international appeal.

South Africa’s tourism sector is already on an encouraging trajectory. In 2024, the country welcomed 8.92 million international arrivals, a 5.1% increase on the previous year, with the majority of tourists originating from within Africa (76%) and solid growth from Europe. Moreover, tourism’s share of GDP climbed to

3.3% by mid-2025, compared to 2.3% in 2019, with 1.8 million people employed in the sector.

In January 2025 alone, South Africa processed over 1.3 million foreign arrivals, of which nearly 1.014 million were overnight tourists - the bulk of whom came for holiday purposes - indicating sustained demand for inbound leisure travel.

Home Affairs minister Leon Schrieber said: “By the end of September, we will begin the rollout of the digital ETA system for tourist visas, starting with travellers arriving by air at OR Tambo and Cape Town International airports. Over time, the ETA will be expanded to more visa categories and rolled out at more ports of entry. This scale-up will continue until no person can enter South Africa without obtaining a digital visa through the ETA. This system eliminates the space for interference, corruption or delays by using machine learning to automate the application, adjudication and communication of all visa processes.”

Aligning Digital Vision With Tourism Growth

With tourism already expanding and making a substantive contribution to both GDP and employment, digital facilitation systems like ETA are timely and transformative. They align with broader government objectives of modernising immigration services, enhancing efficiency, and supporting economic recovery. By providing fully online visa applications, realtime tracking, and secure digital authorisations—delivered via smartphone wallets—the system also reinforces South Africa’s reputation as an accessible, forward-looking destination.

ETA is anticipated to work in concert with schemes like the TTOS. Together, they form a multifaceted approach: one focused on serving the general tourism population with self-service, fast-tracked digital entry; the other targeting higher-value markets via trusted operator partnerships. This twin-track strategy broadens South Africa’s appeal and provides flexible access points for inbound travellers.

The benefits of ETA extend beyond convenience. By reducing friction at borders, South Africa increases its competitiveness in international tourism markets. Quicker entry times and enhanced predictability raise the country’s scorecard among destination decisions, especially for business travellers and time sensitive holidaymakers.

A streamlined visa process also increases awareness of the destination’s reliability, encouraging repeat visits and higher-yield spending. ETA presents an opportunity to showcase South Africa’s responsiveness, modern governance, and readiness to cater to global industry standards.

With ETA’s September rollout on the horizon, South Africa stands ready to capture the upswing in global tourism and broaden its reach. The system’s impact is expected to be felt in airport processing times, traveller satisfaction, foreign exchange earnings, and inbound volumes. Longer term, the ETA platform could be expanded to include visa-exempt nationalities, business travellers, or even digital nomads, further enhancing South Africa’s attractiveness. Together with collaborative schemes like TTOS, and backed by strong tourism performance and economic gains, the ETA cements the country’s position as a modern, efficient, and welcoming destination.

Source: VisasNew | KPMG | TourismUpdate | Xinhua | Stats SA | Government of South Africa