South Africa welcomes 8 Lakh international tourists in June 2026
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Between January-June 2026, the country welcomed 5 584 473 international tourists, representing a 12.3% increase compared to the same period in 2025.
South Africa's tourism sector continues to demonstrate resilience and sustained growth. The country recorded 8,23,365 international tourists in June 2026, an increase of 9.8% compared with June 2025. Arrivals from Africa increased by 12.1% year-on-year.
Between January and June 2026, South Africa welcomed 55,84,473 international tourists, representing a 12.3% increase compared to the same period in 2025. This growth was underpinned by a 14.3% increase in arrivals from Africa over the same period, while overseas arrivals grew by 5.6%, reaffirming South Africa's appeal across both regional and overseas markets.
For the second consecutive month, in June 2026 the United States was South Africa’s leading overseas source market, with 40,566 Americans choosing to experience the country's diverse tourism offering.
“Once again, the deliberate decision to diversify our tourism products, is yielding positive results. The sustained growth in both regional and overseas arrivals reflect the resilience of our tourism sector and the effectiveness of the partnerships we have built with industry and our international markets. We will continue strengthening these relationships through joint marketing initiatives, across the African continent while expanding our reach into strategic overseas markets,” said Patricia de Lille, Minister of Tourism of South Africa.
