The latest figures signal a continued rebound in inbound tourism, with all major source regions recording notable growth.
- Europe rose 20.8%, led by the United Kingdom (+28.9%) and Germany (+33.6%).
- Central and South America surged 63.6%, driven by Brazil (+77.2%) and Argentina (+85.5%).
- Australasia increased 38.0%, while Asia grew 21.1%, buoyed by Indonesia (+100.7%) and Malaysia (+67.8%), even as China and India recorded slower recoveries.
- From the Middle East, arrivals climbed 82.2%, with exceptional growth from Saudi Arabia (+129.3%) and the UAE (+98.3%).
- Across Africa, land arrivals expanded 31.8%, led by Lesotho (+110.2%) and Mozambique (+36.8%), while air arrivals jumped 26.3%, boosted by Nigeria (+46.6%) and the DRC (+75.9%).
Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille hailed the results as evidence of global confidence returning to South Africa’s travel sector.
“These numbers tell a story of confidence and recovery,” De Lille said. “South Africa’s tourism economy is firmly on an upward trajectory, driven by visa reforms, strong destination marketing, and the resilience of our industry. Tourism is not just leisure; it is an economic engine that supports nearly two million jobs.”
The strong performance precedes the national rollout of South Africa’s new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, designed to streamline entry for international visitors. The first phase will be piloted with delegates from China, India, Indonesia, and Mexico during the G20 Leaders’ Summit, before being expanded globally. Officials project that the system could create up to one million tourism-related jobs once fully operational.
De Lille emphasized that South Africa remains committed to strengthening international tourism partnerships and learning from top-performing destinations.
“This week, I’m off to Türkiye with Deputy President Paul Mashatile for the inaugural South Africa–Türkiye Binational Commission,” she said. “Türkiye is the world’s fourth most visited country, and this engagement provides another opportunity for collaboration as South Africa works toward 15 million visitors by 2030.”
With steady growth across all markets and a renewed policy focus on digital innovation and regional partnerships, South Africa’s tourism sector appears well on its way to reclaiming its pre-pandemic momentum and expanding its contribution to the national economy.