South Africa sees 5.1% rise in international tourist arrivals in 2024

South Africa experienced a 5.1 per cent increase in international tourist arrivals in 2024 compared to the previous year, with a total of 8.92 million visitors, according to South Africa's Department of Tourism.

African nations remained the primary source of arrivals, contributing 76 per cent of total visitors, while other regions showed signs of steady recovery. This is reported by Xinhua News Agency, a partner of TV BRICS.

Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille highlighted that international tourism continues to grow, and South Africa is following this positive trajectory. Notably, arrivals from Zimbabwe rose by 3.6 per cent to 2,183.26. This sharp increase is attributed to the introduction of a visa waiver in November 2023 and improved air travel access.

Asia also showed a positive trend, with arrivals increasing by 4.2 per cent to 207,718. Notably, visitors from China grew by 11.4 per cent, reaching 41,651 in 2024.

The government aims to sustain this momentum by expanding its promotional efforts in key markets such as China and India, as reported by the source.

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