South Africa overseas arrivals up 24% in Q3 2025 – momentum builds into summer
South Africa recorded a 24% year‑on‑year rise in overseas arrivals in Q3 2025, according to Statistics South Africa, reinforcing confidence ahead of the peak summer season. Europe delivered 280,322 arrivals, up 21.7%, while North America rose 18.4% to 122,557. Industry players cited stronger air access and a September spike from major congresses in Cape Town and Johannesburg as key contributors.
Operators reported firm demand – Go2Africa noted almost 30% year‑on‑year revenue growth in September, driven largely by first‑time travellers drawn to Cape Town, the Winelands and easy links to Kruger. The luxury segment is outperforming pre‑COVID levels, though mid‑market demand remains cost‑sensitive due to airfares and longer itineraries. Year‑to‑date overseas arrivals are up 10.5% yet recovery is still at about 90%, with SATSA calling for sharper, data‑led destination marketing. Including intra‑African travel, total arrivals to September reached just over 7.6 million – about 73,000 above 2019.
Source: Tourism Update
