CAPE TOWN, May 26 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's inbound tourist arrivals rose 12.6 percent in the first quarter of 2026 from a year earlier, Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille said on Tuesday, signaling continued momentum in a sector seen as a key driver of jobs and economic growth.
Delivering her department's Budget Vote in parliament in Cape Town, de Lille said South Africa welcomed more than 2.9 million inbound travelers in the first three months of this year, following a record 10.5 million international arrivals in 2025.
"This means more jobs, more investment, more opportunities for South Africans," she said.
De Lille said tourism contributed 4.9 percent to South Africa's gross domestic product in 2024 and supported 954,000 direct jobs, citing data from Statistics South Africa's Tourism Satellite Account.
"That means tourism now supports one in every 18 jobs in South Africa," she said.
The government and private sector have jointly adopted a Tourism Growth Partnership Plan aimed at increasing international arrivals to 15 million by 2030, while also boosting domestic tourism spending and employment in the sector, she said.
To support growth, South Africa has prioritized visa reforms and improved air connectivity, de Lille said, adding that the country's Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system is now live in China, India, Indonesia and Mexico.
"Travelers from these source markets can receive visa outcomes digitally within 24 hours from home using their mobile phones," she said.
She added that once fully rolled out, the ETA system is expected to support increased arrivals and generate between 80,000 and 100,000 jobs.
The minister said new flight routes have recently been launched between Johannesburg and Perth, and Cape Town and Mauritius, while a Madrid-Johannesburg route via Air Europa is expected to start soon.
De Lille also noted that conflict in the Middle East has pushed up global airfares, with spillover effects on South Africa.
"For instance, in Southern Europe, the crisis has resulted in airfares rising by over 20 percent," she said. ■