After COVID-19, South Africa’s tourism industry has continued to rebound strongly, with more than 4 million visitors arriving during the first half of 2023. Compared to the 2.3 million tourists that arrived between January and June of 2022, this is a huge rise.

When compared to the same time in 2022, the total number of tourists arriving in South Africa between January and June 2023 increased by 78.2%.

According to the Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille, “There has also been a substantial increase across all regions in the same period. Although the current growth demonstrates signs of recovery, we are still operating at 80% of our pre-pandemic capacity. She continued saying that South Africa in 2019 welcomed more than 5 million tourists between January and June”.

According to De Lille, the majority of foreign visitors to the nation continue to come from the African continent. She said, “We are thrilled with the number of travelers from the rest of Africa that our nation continues to welcome. This is evidence of the marketing strategies we have used to draw guests from this area.”

Adding that, “Africa continues to be a significant source market for us, and the tourism industry is committed to working together to ensure that we welcome tourists from this area and that we meet their wants and preferences.”

De Lille also disclosed that South Africa has received more tourists beyond the African continent and the increasing figures exhibit South Africa’s charm and attractiveness as well as the work put into marketing South Africa as a tourist destination of choice. 

She attributed the robust increase, particularly from Australasia and Asia to the global trend towards post-pandemic travel recovery. “We are growing stronger each day and we are determined to pass pre-COVID-19 arrival numbers. South Africa is open for tourism, and we are ready to welcome more tourists from across Africa and the globe to experience our diverse cultures and heritage,” she noted.

The minister appreciated travelers who chose to explore the country and contribution to the tourism sector’s growth and the country’s economy. She appraised the support of both domestic and international travelers which has played a pivotal role in revitalizing the tourism sector.

She also expressed her gratitude to the nation’s private tourism industry for all of its efforts to expand its tourism offerings, market South Africa as a must-visit location, and provide outstanding hospitality to foreign tourists.

South Africa was recently named the “Best Country” by Telegraph Travel readers in the UK, and Cape Town won the coveted award of “Best City in the World”.