Arrivals, departures and transiting travellers – including both South African residents and foreign travellers – increased dramatically in April compared with the same period last year, according to the latest data released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA). The United Kingdom emerged once again as a major source market for South Africa.

Overseas tourists to South Africa were mainly from Europe, with 80 965 (67.7%) of arrivals coming from this region. North American visitors totalled 20 899 in April (17.5%), followed by Asia (6.6%), Australasia (4.3%), the Middle East (2%), and Central and South America (1.8%).

Foreign arrivals increased by 128.9% (from 248 314 in April last year to 568 484 this year); departures increased by 130.9% (from 218 493 in April 2021 to 504 392 in 2022), and transits increased by 272.5% (6 035 in 2021 to 22 479 in 2022).

The increase in travellers is also clear when comparing April with March 2022.

Arrivals of foreign travellers in April increased by 21.3% (from 468 636 in March), departures increased by 20.3% (from 419 270), and transits increased by 17.8% (from 19 090).

As per the above graph, Australia had the highest increase of 1 613.3% (from 255 tourists in April 2021 to 4 369 tourists in April 2022).

Furthermore, in April 2022 there were 90 095 (17.3% of visitors that month) same-day visitors and 431 376 (the remaining 82.7%) overnight visitors (tourists). Between April 2021 and April 2022, the number of same-day visitorsincreased by 196.5% (from 30 386 in April 2021) and that of tourists increased by 143.4% (from 177 251 in April 2021).

Between March and April 2022, the volume of same-day visitors increased by 37.6% (from 65 499 in March 2022) and that of tourists increased by 19.9% (from 359 734 in March).

View the numbers and see further insights by clicking on our Stats DataStudio Visualisation link. The Full Statistics Dashboard can also be viewed here.