Only 234‚523 overseas tourists visited South Africa over the peak holiday month of December‚ with most of our visitors instead coming from neighbouring countries‚ according to data released by Stats SA on Wednesday.
Most of the overseas tourists arrived in the country by air (91‚4%)‚ with 7‚9% arriving by road and 0‚7% by sea‚ the December 2015 Tourism and Migration report stated.
Europe‚ with 153‚070 tourists‚ accounted for the biggest block of overseas tourists at 65‚3%. Other visitors came from North America (15%)‚ Asia 9‚7%‚ Australasia 6‚4%‚ Central and South America 2‚1%‚ and the Middle East 1‚5%.
The ten leading overseas nationalities visiting South Africa in December 2015 were from the UK (23‚3%)‚ America (12‚2%)‚ Germany (11‚7%)‚ the Netherlands (5‚5%)‚ Australia (5‚1%)‚ France (4‚6%)‚ China (3‚4%)‚ Sweden (3%)‚ Canada (2‚7%) and India (2‚7%)
“Tourists from these ten countries constituted 74‚2% of all tourists from overseas countries‚” Stats SA said.
Comparing December 2014 and December 2015‚ the number of tourists decreased for four of the ten leading overseas countries — Sweden‚ France‚ The Netherlands and Canada — and increased for the other six‚ namely China‚ UK‚ USA‚ India‚ Australia and Germany.
“China had the largest increase of 136‚2% (from 3‚380 tourists in December 2014 to 7‚983 in December 2015)‚ and Sweden had the largest decrease of 7‚1% (from 7‚532 tourists in December 2014 to 6‚994 in December 2015‚” Stats SA said.
The total number of foreign visitors to South Africa in December 2015 was 1.4 million (1‚442‚838). The visitors consisted of 550‚118 same-day visitors and 892‚720 overnight visitors (tourists).
“Between December 2014 and December 2015‚ the volume of same-day visitors increased by 14‚2% and that of tourists decreased by 4‚5% (from 934‚699 in December 2014 to 892‚720 in December 2015‚” the report said.
Most (642‚721) of the foreign visitors were from the Southern African Development Community (SADC)‚ with the top countries of origin being Zimbabwe‚ Lesotho‚ Mozambique‚ Botswana‚ Swaziland‚ Namibia‚ Zambia‚ Malawi‚ Angola‚ and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)‚
The five leading countries in terms of the number of tourists visiting South Africa in December 2015 from other African countries were Nigeria‚ Kenya‚ Ghana‚ Uganda and Gabon.
BUSINESS OR PLEASURE?
The majority of tourists‚ 873‚177 (97‚8%)‚ were in South Africa for holidays compared to 1‚9% and 0‚3% who were in South Africa for business and for study purposes respectively.
Asia at 4‚7% had the highest proportion of tourists who came to South Africa for business and for study purposes (0‚7%) compared to other overseas regions.
Businesspeople constituted 3‚6% (524) of tourists from ‘other’ African countries and 1‚9% (12‚406) from the SADC countries. North Africa had the highest proportion‚ 6‚2% (66) of its tourists to South Africa who came for business purposes.
Students made up 2‚1% (304) of tourists from ‘other’ African countries compared with 0‚2% (1‚494) from the SADC countries. North Africa had the highest proportion‚ 2‚2% (23) of student tourists in South Africa.
SLIGHT DROP IN SA TRAVEL
Fewer South African residents travelled across the border: Departures decreased by 1% from 733‚336 in December 2014 to 726‚210 in December 2015.
Chinese tourism picks up but South Africa drops in popularity with four other leading countries
Most of the overseas tourists arrived in the country by air (91‚4%)‚ with 7‚9% arriving by road and 0‚7% by sea‚ the December 2015 Tourism and Migration report stated.
Europe‚ with 153‚070 tourists‚ accounted for the biggest block of overseas tourists at 65‚3%. Other visitors came from North America (15%)‚ Asia 9‚7%‚ Australasia 6‚4%‚ Central and South America 2‚1%‚ and the Middle East 1‚5%.
The ten leading overseas nationalities visiting South Africa in December 2015 were from the UK (23‚3%)‚ America (12‚2%)‚ Germany (11‚7%)‚ the Netherlands (5‚5%)‚ Australia (5‚1%)‚ France (4‚6%)‚ China (3‚4%)‚ Sweden (3%)‚ Canada (2‚7%) and India (2‚7%)
“Tourists from these ten countries constituted 74‚2% of all tourists from overseas countries‚” Stats SA said.
Comparing December 2014 and December 2015‚ the number of tourists decreased for four of the ten leading overseas countries — Sweden‚ France‚ The Netherlands and Canada — and increased for the other six‚ namely China‚ UK‚ USA‚ India‚ Australia and Germany.
“China had the largest increase of 136‚2% (from 3‚380 tourists in December 2014 to 7‚983 in December 2015)‚ and Sweden had the largest decrease of 7‚1% (from 7‚532 tourists in December 2014 to 6‚994 in December 2015‚” Stats SA said.
The total number of foreign visitors to South Africa in December 2015 was 1.4 million (1‚442‚838). The visitors consisted of 550‚118 same-day visitors and 892‚720 overnight visitors (tourists).
“Between December 2014 and December 2015‚ the volume of same-day visitors increased by 14‚2% and that of tourists decreased by 4‚5% (from 934‚699 in December 2014 to 892‚720 in December 2015‚” the report said.
Most (642‚721) of the foreign visitors were from the Southern African Development Community (SADC)‚ with the top countries of origin being Zimbabwe‚ Lesotho‚ Mozambique‚ Botswana‚ Swaziland‚ Namibia‚ Zambia‚ Malawi‚ Angola‚ and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)‚
The five leading countries in terms of the number of tourists visiting South Africa in December 2015 from other African countries were Nigeria‚ Kenya‚ Ghana‚ Uganda and Gabon.
BUSINESS OR PLEASURE?
The majority of tourists‚ 873‚177 (97‚8%)‚ were in South Africa for holidays compared to 1‚9% and 0‚3% who were in South Africa for business and for study purposes respectively.
Asia at 4‚7% had the highest proportion of tourists who came to South Africa for business and for study purposes (0‚7%) compared to other overseas regions.
Businesspeople constituted 3‚6% (524) of tourists from ‘other’ African countries and 1‚9% (12‚406) from the SADC countries. North Africa had the highest proportion‚ 6‚2% (66) of its tourists to South Africa who came for business purposes.
Students made up 2‚1% (304) of tourists from ‘other’ African countries compared with 0‚2% (1‚494) from the SADC countries. North Africa had the highest proportion‚ 2‚2% (23) of student tourists in South Africa.
SLIGHT DROP IN SA TRAVEL
Fewer South African residents travelled across the border: Departures decreased by 1% from 733‚336 in December 2014 to 726‚210 in December 2015.
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