South Africa prepares for strong tourism season

South Africa is preparing for a busy tourism season starting 1 September, with provinces reporting strong demand from both domestic and international visitors. This is reported by IOL.

In the Western Cape, hotels, guesthouses and attractions are already seeing solid booking patterns. Cape Town Tourism’s Economic Value of Tourism report shows a 6 per cent year-on-year increase in international arrivals and a 5 per cent rise in bed nights sold. This builds on 2024’s figures, when 2.4 million overnight visitors contributed R24.5 billion (about US$1.36 billion) directly to the local economy.

James Vos, Cape Town’s MEC for Tourism and Economic Growth, said, “Cape Town is preparing for a busy season, and I’m determined to make sure that our City and tourism partners not only welcome more visitors but also grow tourism in a way that delivers real, lasting benefits for Capetonians.”

Gauteng is projecting another record-breaking season. The province exceeded expectations in 2024/2025, with R41 billion (US$2.3 billion) in foreign direct spend against a target of R29 billion (US$1.65 billion), driven by new air routes, increased airlift capacity and major events.

Photo: iStock / V-art