South Africa Records Over Three Million Traveller Movements in March 2026
South Africa recorded 3,037,756 traveller movements - including arrivals, departures and transits - in March 2026, according to new figures from Statistics South Africa (Stats SA). Foreign travellers accounted for 76.2% of the total, with 911,962 overnight tourists among 1,171,740 foreign arrivals. SADC countries contributed the largest share of tourists at 73.5%, led by Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Lesotho, while the UK, Germany and the United States together made up 52.4% of all overseas tourists. Holiday travel was the dominant purpose for visits, cited by 97.2% of all tourists.
Year-on-year growth was recorded across key indicators, with foreign arrivals up 8.4% compared to March 2025 and transits rising 11.7%. Road travel remained the most common mode of transport at 65.4% of total movements, followed by air at 32.9%. The age profile of tourists was skewed towards working-age travellers, with those aged 35 to 44 forming the largest group at 28.8%. The data points to sustained and broadening demand for South Africa as a destination, underpinned by strong regional travel flows and continued interest from key long-haul markets.
Source: SA News