South Africa's tourism industry is on the rise, with international visitors hitting 8.92 million in 2024, which is a 5.1% bump from last year, according to the latest figures from Statistics South Africa. Although it hasn't fully bounced back to pre-pandemic numbers from 2019, the sector now accounts for 8.8% of the nation's GDP and provides 1.68 million jobs, as noted by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).

"It is encouraging to see that despite economic uncertainties in various parts of the world, the global tourism sector is growing. It is even more encouraging that our country follows the same trend and trajectory," said Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille.

Africa is still the biggest source of tourists for South Africa, making up 76% of all arrivals. In 2024, 6.8 million visitors came from the continent, with Zimbabwe leading the pack at 2,183,260 arrivals, which is a 3.6% increase from 2023.

Ghana also made headlines with a whopping 149.0% surge, reaching 36,656 arrivals, largely thanks to the visa waiver that kicked in November 2023.

Minister de Lille pointed out Ghana’s success, linking it to the visa-free travel agreement that started in late 2023.

"Ghana’s immense performance can be attributed to the fact that travellers between Ghana and South Africa no longer need visas to travel between the two countries. This, coupled with increased airlift targeted marketing initiatives by South African Tourism, makes for a winning formula for the growth of our sector,"  she explained.

Growth is also strong from the Americas, with tourist arrivals increasing by 10.9% in 2024, totaling 505,579 visitors. The United States remains the top contributor, with 372,362 arrivals, marking a 5.2% rise from 2023.

Brazil experienced a notable 94.2% jump in arrivals, reaching 49,855 tourists, thanks to better flight connections and smart marketing efforts.

Tourist arrivals from Europe went up by 1.1%, hitting a total of 1,258,706. The UK still leads as the biggest European market with 349,883 visitors, although that’s a drop of 1.8% compared to 2023.

Germany experienced a solid 4.0% increase, reaching 254,992 arrivals, while the Netherlands outperformed France with a 0.8% rise to 132,422 visitors.

On the Asian front, tourist arrivals jumped by 4.2%, with China seeing a notable 11.4% boost to 41,651 arrivals. Japan had a remarkable 31.8% growth, totaling 17,370 visitors.

On the downside, India faced a 5.3% decline due to issues with visa processing and a lack of direct flights. Australia, on the other hand, showed steady growth, with more increases anticipated in 2025.

In the Middle East, arrivals dropped by 16.1%, totaling 45,602. However, Saudi Arabia saw a 12.1% rise, welcoming 18,333 tourists. There are hopes that improved connectivity and trade efforts in the region will support future recovery.

South Africa is sitting pretty at third place among major global tourism players when it comes to how much tourism adds to the GDP. With a solid year-on-year growth rate of 5.1%, the country needs to keep investing in air travel and global marketing to stay competitive.

Looking ahead: Plans for tourism growth

The South African government has rolled out a bunch of strategic moves to boost the tourism industry:

  • Increasing air travel: Bringing back important routes and forming new partnerships to make it easier to get to South Africa.
  • Targeted marketing efforts: Zeroing in on markets like China, India, and the Americas to showcase what South Africa has to offer.
  • Enhancing digital and AI-driven travel planning: Making travel experiences better with personalized digital tools.
  • Promoting sustainable and cultural tourism: Focusing on eco-friendly and cultural experiences.
  • Improving safety and security: Strengthening safety protocols to build traveler confidence.

"The tourism sector is a strong contributor to the economy and job creation. We are determined to continue with this momentum and push the numbers much higher so that we can grow our contribution to economic growth and job creation even further.

"South Africa remains attractive and accessible for all travellers to enjoy and we thank all international and domestic travellers for exploring our beautiful country and contributing to the tourism sector’s performance," Minister de Lille concluded.