International arrivals surge 30.2% as SA’s tourism rebound strengthens

South Africa’s inbound tourism sector continues its strong recovery, with international arrivals up 30.2% year-on-year in August 2025, reaching 935,738 visitors. Between January and August, the country welcomed 6.79 million tourists, a 15.8% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

Source: CHUTTERSNAP via Unsplash

According to the latest data, all major regions showed positive performance:

• Europe rose 20.8%, led by the UK (+28.9%) and Germany (+33.6%).
• Central and South America surged 63.6%, with Brazil (+77.2%) and Argentina (+85.5%) leading.
• Australasia increased 38.0%, while Asia grew 21.1%, buoyed by Indonesia (+100.7%) and Malaysia (+67.8%), despite weaker figures from China and India.
• Middle East arrivals climbed 82.2%, driven by Saudi Arabia (+129.3%) and the UAE (+98.3%).
• From Africa, land arrivals grew 31.8%, with Lesotho (+110.2%) and Mozambique (+36.8%), while air arrivals rose 26.3%, led by Nigeria (+46.6%) and the DRC (+75.9%).

Minister De Lille: “Tourism is an economic engine”

Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille welcomed the performance, noting that the continued rebound reflects growing global confidence in South Africa.

“These numbers tell a story of confidence and recovery. South Africa’s tourism economy is firmly on an upward trajectory, driven by our 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,” said Minister De Lille.

The rise in arrivals comes ahead of the rollout of South Africa’s new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system.

The first phase will be tested by delegates from China, India, Indonesia, and Mexico attending the G20 Leaders’ Summit. Once fully implemented, the ETA is projected to create between 800,000 and one million tourism-related jobs.

Strengthening international partnerships

Minister De Lille added that South Africa continues to learn from leading global destinations.

“This week, I’m off to Türkiye with Deputy President Paul Mashatile and cabinet colleagues for the inaugural South Africa–Türkiye Binational Commission. This working visit presents another opportunity to learn from the world’s 4th most visited country, as South Africa works towards 15 million visitors by 2030," she concluded.