The number of overseas visitors to South Africa grew by 6% in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period in 2025, according to the latest data from Statistics South Africa.
Between January and March 2026, 681,677 people from non-African countries visited South Africa — a 6.3% increase from the 641,085 recorded in the first quarter of last year.
The United Kingdom was the largest source of overseas visitors, with 141,019 Britons arriving — up 7.7% from the previous year.
Germany was the only other country to send more than 100,000 visitors. Some 118,085 Germans travelled to South Africa in the first three months of 2026, a jump of 22.5% compared to the same period in 2025.
The United States ranked third, with 78,146 American visitors — an 8.5% decline from the 85,396 who came in early 2025.
Despite the dip, the US still sent more visitors than South Africa’s four BRICS partners combined. Brazil, Russia, India, and China together accounted for 53,072 visitors in the first quarter.
The total of 681,677 overseas visitors was the highest first-quarter figure since 2019.
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Gershwin Wanneburg
- April 27, 2026
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