South Africa’s tourism is growing steadily, but the latest statistics indicate that the majority of visitors come from the neighboring countries. With that said, there is an influx of European and American visitors that might soon diversify the South African’s economy.
In accordance with the statistics provided by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), in July 2026, the nation witnessed an increase in foreign visitors by 12.5% compared to the same period last year. More precisely, there were 991,696 foreign tourists in July 2026, compared to 881,393 visitors in July 2025. Out of the total number of foreign visitors, 785,469 or 79.2% came from Southern African Development Community (SADC). In addition, 11,751 or 1.2% of visitors came from the rest of Africa.
Meanwhile, 97,461 Europeans and 41,037 North Americans were also recorded in July 2026. When it comes to the most popular western countries, then the USA remained the main source of foreign visitors, with 37,310 travelers. The homeland of the English language, the United Kingdom, came at second with 25,024 visitors. The Netherlands secured the third spot with 17,066 people. However, France saw the highest rise in visitors this year, with 12,496 travelers and a surge of 24.9% compared to 2025.
At the moment, the most popular destinations in South Africa remain local, with a constant inflow of visitors from neighboring countries.
The reason behind this trend could be the proximity of several Southern African countries and the relative inexpensiveness of transportation between them. Besides, diversifying tourism markets towards Europeans, Americans, and Asians would gradually build a stronger economy for the benefit of the national budget. Nevertheless, the projected growth rate and continuous increase in international visitors will only happen if South African authorities successfully attract more visitors from outside the region.
There is no doubt that local travelers will remain the pillar of South Africa’s tourism market for the foreseeable future. The data from 2025 demonstrate that out of 10.5 million international visitors, 75.2% were from SADC. Moreover, Preliminary results confirm that the first five months of 2026 witnessed a significant hike in travel, mostly from local neighbors.
It remains vital to tap into the tourism market outside of the African continent, especially to build a steady increase in visitors. The authorities hope to witness a steady rise, aiming for 15 million international visitors in 2030 and increasing the tourism sector’s share to 10% of the national GDP. In general, it is necessary to maintain high levels of interest among local travelers while trying to attract more visitors from overseas.
However, the high rate of travelers from neighboring countries poses a challenge for South Africa, which wants to promote its tourism sector internationally. There is an increase in xenophobic sentiment aimed against African foreigners.
Xenophobic attacks have been increasing, and radical groups are targeting illegal migrants who want to stay in South Africa. The overall atmosphere in the neighboring African countries deteriorated, prompting potential visitors to reconsider their plans. Therefore, it will be vital for South Africa to maintain the delicate balance between welcoming local travelers and promoting the country as an attractive destination for those from the rest of the world.
These cross border calculations are predominantly day or over night visitors coming to do shopping. A way the authorities like to boost numbers but no real tourism impact other than maybe one night accommodation.