South Africa recorded strong growth in international tourism in July, with 991,696 international tourists entering the country during the month, according to Statistics South Africa (Stats SA). This represented a 12.5% increase from the 881,393 tourists recorded in July 2025.
The figures point to continued recovery in one of South Africa’s most important economic sectors, although they need to be distinguished from the broader number of foreign travellers entering the country. Border statistics include people travelling for purposes other than tourism, while the tourism measure focuses specifically on visitors classified as tourists.
Foreign arrivals at South African ports increased by 17.3% month on month in July to more than 1.27 million, and were approximately 6% higher than in July 2025. The number of tourists, however, stood at 991,696.
The July performance comes against a complicated social and political backdrop. South Africa has experienced renewed tensions surrounding migration and xenophobia, including anti-migrant protests that have generated concern among some neighbouring countries and raised questions about the potential impact on tourism.
Despite these concerns, the latest figures indicate that regional travel remains resilient. Tourists from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) accounted for 79.2% of South Africa’s tourist arrivals in July. Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Lesotho were among the leading regional source markets.
Visitors from other African countries accounted for a further 1.2%, with Kenya, Ghana and Nigeria among the principal contributors.
The composition of these arrivals offers an important perspective on South Africa’s tourism economy. International tourism is often discussed through the prism of long-haul visitors from Europe, North America and other overseas markets. However, South Africa’s tourism industry is also deeply integrated into the economic and social mobility of the African continent, particularly within Southern Africa.
For residents of neighbouring countries, travel to South Africa is facilitated by geographical proximity, established transport networks, family relationships, commercial activity and longstanding cross-border connections. These movements support a broader regional economy extending beyond hotels and tourist attractions to retailers, restaurants, transport operators and small businesses.
The importance of regional tourism is particularly evident in the way visitors enter the country. While more than nine in ten overseas tourists arrived by air, only 6.5% of SADC tourists travelled by air, with the overwhelming majority entering by road.
Major land crossings, including Beitbridge, which connects South Africa and Zimbabwe, and Lebombo, linking South Africa and Mozambique, consequently play an important role in the country’s tourism economy.
This pattern highlights a form of African mobility that can be overlooked when tourism is measured primarily through international aviation. Road-based travel across Southern Africa represents a significant economic relationship between neighbouring countries and reflects the region’s increasingly interconnected markets.
Holiday travel remained the dominant reason for visiting South Africa. Stats SA reported that 97.5% of tourists in July travelled for holidays, while 1.9% travelled for business, 0.6% for study and less than 0.1% for medical treatment. Among African tourists, 97.3% travelled for holidays.
Overseas visitors nevertheless remain important to the sector. Tourists from outside Africa accounted for 19.5% of total tourist arrivals in July, with the United States, United Kingdom and Netherlands collectively representing 41% of the overseas market. More than 91% of overseas tourists arrived by air.
The July figures form part of a wider recovery in South Africa’s tourism industry. Stats SA recorded 10.5 million tourists in 2025, representing a 17.7% increase from the 8.9 million recorded in 2024.
Tourism also has significant implications for employment and economic activity. Stats SA has estimated that the sector supported approximately 954,000 direct jobs in 2024 and contributed 4.9% to gross domestic product.
However, strong visitor numbers should not be interpreted as evidence that xenophobia has no economic consequences. Tourism statistics capture completed journeys, but do not necessarily measure cancelled trips, changes in traveller sentiment, reputational damage or potential future demand.
A destination can therefore experience growth while simultaneously facing risks associated with perceptions of insecurity or hostility towards foreign nationals.
This is particularly relevant in South Africa because tourism, migration, trade and family mobility are closely interconnected. Many African visitors to South Africa participate in commercial, social and family networks that extend across national borders. The distinction between a tourist, trader, business traveller and family visitor can consequently be more fluid in the context of regional African mobility than conventional international tourism statistics might suggest.
For policymakers, the July figures provide both encouragement and a reminder of the importance of regional integration. Maintaining tourism growth will require more than destination marketing. Reliable transport infrastructure, efficient border management, visitor safety, effective visa systems and positive relations with neighbouring countries will remain important.
South Africa’s tourism recovery is therefore not simply a story of international visitors returning to a major global destination. It is also a reflection of the strength of African mobility and the economic relationships that connect Southern Africa.
Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Lesotho and other regional markets are not peripheral to South Africa’s tourism industry. They are among its principal sources of visitors and form part of a wider regional economic ecosystem.
The July figures ultimately present a nuanced picture: South Africa’s tourism sector continues to expand, while the country must simultaneously address social tensions that could affect perceptions of the destination. The resilience of regional tourism demonstrates the strength of existing African connections, but sustaining that resilience will depend on ensuring that those connections remain safe, accessible and mutually beneficial.
