CAPE TOWN, July 30 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's tourism sector continued its strong recovery in the first half (H1) of 2026, with international tourist arrivals rising 12.3 percent compared with the same period last year, the Department of Tourism said on Thursday.
The country welcomed 5,584,473 international tourists between January and June 2026, driven by robust growth from both regional and overseas markets, according to a statement from the department.
"This growth was underpinned by a 14.3 percent increase in arrivals from Africa over the same period, while overseas arrivals grew by 5.6 percent, reaffirming South Africa's appeal across both regional and overseas markets," the department said.
In June alone, South Africa recorded 823,365 international tourist arrivals, up 9.8 percent year on year. Tourist arrivals from Africa rose 12.1 percent compared with June 2025.
The United States remained South Africa's leading overseas source market for the second consecutive month in June, with 40,566 American visitors.
Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille said the latest figures reflected the impact of efforts to broaden South Africa's tourism offerings and strengthen partnerships with key markets.
"Once again, the deliberate decision to diversify our tourism products is yielding positive results. The sustained growth in both regional and overseas arrivals reflects the resilience of our tourism sector and the effectiveness of the partnerships we have built with industry and our international markets," de Lille said.
"We will continue strengthening these relationships through joint marketing initiatives across the African continent while expanding our reach into strategic overseas markets," she said.
She added that the positive growth trend reinforced the government's commitment to improving access, expanding air connectivity, and promoting South Africa as a preferred destination for both leisure and corporate travel. ■
