According to Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), South Africa recorded 1,133,533 overnight visitors in January 2026. Total passenger movements, including arrivals, departures and transit, reached 3,373,931, with foreign passengers accounting for 73.6% of the total.
Tourists from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region accounted for 77.8% of all visitors. Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Lesotho contributed the majority, making up 80,8% of SADC tourists. Other African countries outside SADC contributed 1,4%, with Kenya, Ghana and Nigeria leading arrivals.
A total of 235,058 tourists came from abroad, with UK, Germany and USA being the top three contributors. Overall, the top 10 foreign countries accounted for about 74% of all foreign tourists.
Purpose and pattern of travel
Leisure travel dominates, with 97.7% of tourists coming for leisure, including holidays, shopping and visiting friends and relatives. Business, study and medical visits were minimal.
Travel methods vary by region:
• SADC tourists arrived mainly by road (93.5%)
• The vast majority of foreign tourists flew (92,7%)
Major ports of entry include OR Tambo and Cape Town International Airport for air travel, and Beit Bridge and Lebombo for road arrivals.
The largest age group was 35–44 years, with the average age being 48 years for foreign tourists and 38 years for SADC tourists. Male visitors slightly outnumbered female visitors (56.1% to 43.9%).
Compared to January 2025, overnight tourists increased by 11.8% with notable increases from Mozambique (22.1%), Russia (38.8%), and Nigeria (36.8%), highlighting South Africa's continued appeal as a leading regional and international tourism destination.