South Africa Sees 6.79 Million Tourists In 2025 As International Arrivals Surge By 30%

South Africa’s tourism sector continues to show strong recovery, with 935,738 international visitors recorded in August 2025 — a 30.2% year-on-year increase.

Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille has celebrated the continued upward trend, confirming that 6.79 million tourists visited the country between January and August, representing a 15.8% growth compared to the same period last year.

“This growth tells 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,” said De Lille.

Europe, Africa and the Middle East Lead Tourism Growth

Regional tourism performance showed remarkable gains across multiple markets.

Europe recorded a 20.8% increase, led by the United Kingdom (+28.9%) and Germany (+33.6%).

Central and South America saw exceptional growth of 63.6%, with Brazil (+77.2%) and Argentina (+85.5%) leading the surge.

Australasia arrivals rose by 38.0%, while Asia grew by 21.1%, supported by Indonesia (+100.7%) and Malaysia (+67.8%), despite softer figures from China and India.

The Middle East posted an impressive 82.2% increase, with Saudi Arabia (+129.3%) and the UAE (+98.3%) performing strongly.

African land arrivals jumped 31.8%, driven by Lesotho (+110.2%) and Mozambique (+36.8%), while African air arrivals climbed 26.3%, led by Nigeria (+46.6%) and the DRC (+75.9%).

Digital Travel System and Global Partnerships to Boost Tourism

Minister De Lille highlighted the crucial role of tourism in the economy, noting that it supports nearly two million jobs. She added that the upcoming Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) will make it easier for travellers to visit South Africa.

“The increase in international arrivals comes as the country prepares to roll out the ETA. The G20 Leaders’ Summit delegates from China, India, Indonesia and Mexico will be the first to use the system. Upon its full implementation, ETA will create between 800,000 and one million jobs in the tourism sector,” she said.

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De Lille also revealed her upcoming diplomatic engagement: “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 fourth most visited country, as South Africa works towards 15 million visitors by 2030.”

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