HeyTraveller is building cultural bridges and sustainable growth in China

For years, HeyTraveller has cultivated a reputation for offering unique, authentic experiences across South Africa, helping both locals and international visitors discover hidden gems. Established with a vision to make travel accessible to all South Africans, the tour operator’s Stokvel model allows clients to pool funds, making dream vacations attainable without upfront financial strain. 

Today, HeyTraveller is taking its impact overseas, to China, through a six-month residency under a tourism trade relations programme, supported by the City of Johannesburg, LGSETA, and Chinese cultural agencies. “I have dreamt of extending HeyTraveller to the foreign markets for a while now,” says CEO Goodness Mashala.

HeyTraveller’s presence in China signifies a valuable milestone for both South Africa’s travel sector and the company itself. It also couldn’t come at a better time, coinciding with South Africa’s recent launch of the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS).

Beginning in January 2025, TTOS will allow accredited tour operators from China and India to streamline visa applications, thereby enhancing travel accessibility from these key markets. It’s a win-win for both countries, and HeyTraveller’s founder sees tremendous potential in establishing a robust tourism bridge between South Africa and China. With an initial focus on China and India, the TTOS seeks to remove visa-related red tape, enabling vetted operators to submit group applications to a dedicated team for efficient processing.

With over 100 million outbound trips by Chinese tourists in 2023 alone, South Africa received a mere 93,000 of those visitors – a stark contrast to Australia’s 1.4 million arrivals from China that same year. By simplifying the visa process for these major tourism markets, the TTOS aims to increase visitor numbers and unlock tourism’s full potential.

Through this cross-cultural exchange, HeyTraveller seeks to establish partnerships with Chinese tour operators, cultural institutions, and industry stakeholders to support mutual tourism growth.

Currently, China and India represent under 5% of South Africa’s international visitors, yet research indicates that every 10% increase in tourism could contribute an additional 0.6% to annual economic growth.

As HeyTraveller sets its sights on China, it embodies the promise of South Africa’s tourism sector – diverse, resilient, and ready to welcome the world. For Godness, the journey ahead will be defined by collaboration, innovation, and a shared vision of what tourism can achieve – not just for businesses, but for nations, communities, and individuals.