South Africa's tourism sector continues to demonstrate resilience and sustained growth, with the latest international tourist arrivals showing strong performance for both June 2026 and the first half of the year.
Between January and June 2026, South Africa welcomed 5 584 473 international tourists, representing a 12.3% increase compared to the same period in 2025. This growth was underpinned by a 14.3% increase in arrivals from Africa over the same period, while overseas arrivals grew by 5.6%, reaffirming South Africa's appeal across both regional and overseas markets.
In June 2026, South Africa recorded 823 365 international tourists, an increase of 9.8% compared with June 2025. Arrivals from Africa increased by 12.1% year-on-year.
For the second consecutive month, in June 2026 the United States was South Africa's leading overseas source market, with 40 566 Americans choosing to experience the country's diverse tourism offering.
“Once again, the deliberate decision to diversify our tourism products, is yielding positive results. The sustained growth in both regional and overseas arrivals reflect the resilience of our tourism sector and the effectiveness of the partnerships we have built with industry and our international markets. We will continue strengthening these relationships through joint marketing initiatives, across the African continent while expanding our reach into strategic overseas markets,” says Minister Patricia de Lille.
The Minister added that the positive trajectory reinforces government's commitment to improving ease of access, expanding air connectivity and positioning South Africa as a destination of choice for leisure and corporate travel.
Enquiries:
Aldrin Sampear
Spokesperson for the Minister of Tourism
Cell: 067 138 3487
E-mail: asampear@tourism.gov.za
#GovZAUpdates
