Africa leads SA's tourism resurgence

AS SOUTH Africa continues to rebound from the Covid-19 pandemic, the tourism sector posted a remarkable 5.1% growth, with the country seeing a significant influx of visitors arriving primarily from the African continent.

- ANITA NKONKI

The latest figures shared by the Department of Tourism with Saturday Star reveal that Africa remains the dominant source of international arrivals, contributing an impressive 76% of the total tourist count in 2024.

Building on the positive trend observed since the pandemic, the country now sees 6.8 million tourist arrivals from Africa, with Zimbabwe leading the charge as the top source market.

In a remarkable resurgence, Zimbabwean visitors increased by 3.6%, reaching 2 183 260 arrivals this year. Meanwhile, Ghana achieved an outstanding 149% leap in numbers, now totalling 36 656 tourists.

Speaking about the latest data, Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille specifically praised Ghana’s remarkable rise in tourist numbers, attributing this growth to the recent visa waiver that eliminates barriers for travelers.