South Africa’s Tourism Sector Surges with Nearly 1 Million Direct Jobs Created

South Africa’s tourism industry has reached a major milestone, directly employing 953,981 people in 2024 — equivalent to 5.7% of the national labor force, or 1 in 18 workers. According to Statistics South Africa’s Tourism Satellite Account, the sector also contributed 4.9% to GDP, outpacing agriculture, utilities, and construction, and surpassing its pre-pandemic 3.7% share in 2019.

Total tourism expenditure hit R779.2 billion, with R665.3 billion from domestic travelers and R113.9 billion from international visitors. Minister Patricia de Lille credited domestic tourism as the sector’s backbone, while noting a strong rebound in international arrivals — 10.5 million in 2025, followed by nearly 2 million visitors in the first two months of 2026 (January: +12.4%, February: +13.1% year-on-year).

“We expect further growth with the rollout of the Electronic Travellers Authorisation and targeted marketing to position South Africa as an affordable, premier MICE and leisure destination,” said Minister de Lille, attributing the gains to the government-private sector Tourism Growth Partnership Plan.