Tourist numbers to South Africa and the rest of the African continent are on the rise. Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille shared the update during a media briefing in Durban, ahead of the 2025 Africa Travel Indaba set for next month.
De Lille reveals that South Africa welcomed nearly 9 million tourists in 2024, reflecting a growth of just over 5% compared to the previous year.
However, she notes that the figure remains below the pre-pandemic level of 10 million visitors.
Looking ahead, the Minister says South Africa is targeting over 15 million tourist arrivals by 2030.
“We want to see the number of tourists visiting South Africa by 2030 be 15 million, and to achieve that, the government cannot do it alone. The government relies on the partnership of our private sector, civil society, and our community. As we work together, and there’s a very good, solid relationship between our government and the private sector, I’m confident we’ll be able to achieve 15 million. Already, in January and February 2025, for just the two months, we received 1.8 million. In two months, it is doable; it can be done. We just need to work harder to diversify our tourism sector.”
