Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille addressing media representatives at The Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Picture: Facebook
South Africa’s tourism sector is experiencing a noteworthy resurgence, bolstered by domestic travellers, a trend highlighted by the country’s Tourism Minister, Patricia de Lille, during the Meetings Africa media briefing held at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.
As the 2024 financial year approaches its end, statistics reveal significant growth in tourist arrivals, signalling a positive trajectory for the industry.
From January to November 2024, South Africa welcomed approximately 7.9 million tourists, marking a commendable 5% increase compared to the same period last year.
This surge is largely attributed to the 6.1 million visitors from the African continent, representing an impressive 5.5% rise year-on-year.
Minister De Lille elaborated on the increase in international tourist numbers, noting that nearly 2 million (1.9 million) visitors from overseas markets were recorded, reflecting a growth of 3.2% from the previous year.
This growth is indicative of the global confidence in South Africa as a prime travel destination.
“Domestic tourism has also played a crucial role in our recovery, with South Africans rediscovering the beauty and experiences our country has to offer,” she stated.
The Department of Tourism also shared encouraging data from Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) regarding hotel occupancy rates in November 2024.
The total revenue for the tourist accommodation industry rose by 9.4% compared to November 2023, further illustrating the health of the sector.
The hotel sector experienced a 12.1% increase in income from accommodation, driven by a 4.1% rise in the number of stay unit nights sold, coupled with a 7.6% increase in the average income per stay unit night sold.
This culminated in an occupancy rate of 46.9% for November, showing a steady increase from 46.1% in October.
Aligned with the National Development Plan, the South African government is actively addressing barriers hindering international tourism, with a target to achieve 15 million visitors annually by 2030.
A key initiative in this endeavour is the recently approved Air Route Development Marketing Strategy, aimed at streamlining travel processes and investing in critical infrastructure and strategic marketing.
“By harnessing these developments, South Africa aims to unlock tourism’s transformative potential for economic growth and job creation,” the minister asserted, painting an optimistic picture of the future of tourism in the country.