Statistics South Africa reported 1.01 million foreign tourist arrivals in August 2026, marking a 7.4% increase compared to August 2025. This follows a 12.5% year-on-year rise in arrivals recorded in July 2026. The cumulative total of foreign arrivals from January through August 2026 reached 7.57 million, reflecting an 11.5% increase over the same period last year.
According to Fitch Solutions, South Africa’s tourism sector is poised for a record-breaking year in 2026, supported by these sustained increases in visitor numbers. The sector continues to demonstrate strong recovery and growth trends heading toward year-end.
