{
  "id": 10654248,
  "title": "SA tourism's tale of two markets: Regional visitors surge as overseas arrivals lag",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/sa-tourisms-tale-of-two-markets-regional-visitors-surge-as-overseas",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-29T08:46:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "IOL",
    "slug": "iol",
    "url": "https://iol.co.za/business/2026-09-29-sa-tourisms-tale-of-two-markets-regional-visitors-surge-as-overseas-arrivals-lag/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "South Africa's tourism sector is experiencing a dichotomy in market performance, with regional visitors surging while overseas arrivals lag behind. According to BDO South Africa's Tourism Trends Report, the country welcomed 6.6 million international tourists between January and July 2026, marking a 12% increase compared to the same period in 2025. However, overseas arrivals remained 5% below pre-pandemic levels, totaling 1.37 million, while African visitors contributed 5.2 million arrivals, up 17% from 2019. The shortfall in overseas arrivals cost South Africa R6.5 billion in foreign direct tourism spending during 2025 alone. In 2024, the tourism sector directly employed an estimated 953,981 people, accounting for 5.7% of total employment, and contributed R361.7 billion to the country's GDP. Despite this, total tourism spending in South Africa reached R779.2 billion in 2024, with domestic visitors accounting for 85% of that amount. Lee-Anne Bac, director at BDO South Africa, noted that the industry has evolved since its peak in 2018 and 2019, and that strategies must now focus on lifestyle and life stage rather than country-specific appeal. The report indicates strong regional performance, with arrivals from Mozambique up 30%, Zimbabwe by 12%, and Lesotho by 15%. However, Chinese and Indian arrivals fell significantly, with Chinese tourists visiting South Africa just 18,000 times between January and July 2026, representing a 67% drop from 2019 levels. The introduction of measures like the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme and the Electronic Travel Authorisation system in recent years has been seen as a step in the right direction, but challenges remain, particularly in addressing geopolitical risks and enhancing visitor experiences through visa reforms, improved air connectivity, and targeted safety initiatives.",
  "summary": "South Africa welcomed 6.6 million international tourists in seven months, but growth from neighbouring countries is masking a slower recovery in overseas markets.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}