South Africa’s tourism sector continues its post-pandemic recovery, welcoming 5.85 million international visitors between January and July 2025, according to Travel and Tour World (TTW), representing a 14% increase compared with the same period in 2024.
- Despite near-recovery, South Africa remains 1% short of pre-pandemic visitor totals in 2019.
- South Africa’s tourism sector experienced a 14% increase in international visitors between January and July 2025 compared to 2024.
- Other African nations, such as Morocco, Kenya, and Tanzania, have surpassed South Africa in recovery and growth metrics.
- African-origin visitors led the growth, highlighting strong intra-continental travel demand.
Of this total, 4.55 million visitors are from the African continent, underscoring the region’s resilience and the strength of intra-African travel demand. The remaining 1.3 million arrivals came from overseas markets, including key long-haul sources such as China, India, Europe, and the United States.
While this figure signals a positive resurgence, the country remains just 1% shy of its 2019 pre-pandemic total, falling short by approximately 33,000 arrivals.
On the surface, the numbers suggest near-recovery. However, a deeper look reveals structural challenges limiting South Africa’s ability to reclaim its former position as a leading African tourism hub.
Global and Regional Comparisons Highlight Gaps
The global tourism industry had already returned to pre-pandemic levels by 2024, growing over 12% year-on-year. South Africa, by contrast, recorded just a 5.1% recovery over the same period, leaving it 13% below its 2019 benchmark. This slower rebound has allowed other African destinations to gain momentum.
Kenya reached pre-pandemic visitor numbers by 2023, Tanzania surpassed its 2019 figures in 2022 and achieved 18% growth in 2024, while Morocco now leads Africa’s tourism sector, registering 17.4 million arrivals in 2024: a 20% increase. Tunisia, too, has overtaken South Africa, recording 10.3 million visitors in 2024 compared with South Africa’s 10 million, signaling a significant shift in regional tourism dynamics.
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Tourism Remains Weak Despite Fast-Track Initiatives
South Africa’s underperformance is most pronounced in overseas markets, traditionally high-value sources of tourism revenue. From January to July 2025, overseas arrivals totaled just 1.3 million; 10% below 2019 levels. The shortfall represents a loss of approximately $232 million in direct foreign expenditure, adding to the $718 million gap recorded for the full year of 2024.
China and India, despite fast-track visa schemes and targeted promotional campaigns, remain key underperformers. Only 23,600 tourists visited from China, representing just 44% of 2019 levels, even after the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme launched in early 2025.
India’s numbers remain 27% below 2019 levels, with an additional 9% drop compared to 2024. European markets show uneven recovery, with France at 79%, Germany at 87%, and Italy at 90% of 2019 levels. The United States, the country’s largest source market, recorded only a modest 3% growth.
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African Markets Show Resilience
In contrast, regional markets within Africa continue to drive growth and demonstrate the sector’s resilience. Between January and July 2025, South Africa welcomed 4.55 million visitors from the continent, a 3% increase over the same period in 2019.
Targeted policy initiatives, including visa facilitation and improved air connectivity, have contributed significantly to this growth.
Ghana, following the removal of mutual visa requirements in 2024, doubled its visitor numbers, with an average spend of approximately $1,296 per tourist. Kenya achieved a 58% increase over 2019 arrivals, generating around $999 per visitor. Early 2025 figures show African air arrivals surpassing 2019 levels by 16%, underscoring the role of enhanced regional connectivity.
However, opportunities remain untapped in some major African markets: Angola is still 40% below pre-pandemic arrivals, Nigeria 39% below, while Egypt and Uganda lag by 11% and 9%, respectively.
Looking Ahead
Industry experts emphasize that addressing structural weaknesses in overseas markets is critical for South Africa to compete effectively on a global scale.
While African markets continue to perform strongly, the country’s overall tourism growth is constrained by slow recovery from high-value long-haul markets, particularly China and India.
Strategic interventions, including visa reforms, improved air connectivity, and targeted marketing, are seen as essential to bridging these gaps and securing sustainable growth.
