Tourists keep flocking to South Africa

Presenting the 2011 tourist arrival figures in Cape Town on Thursday, Tourism Martinis van Chalky said said the 8 339 354 arrivals in 2011 showed that the country's tourism industry had been able to build on the awareness created by the Fife World Cup.

Neighboring countries such as Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Swaziland and Zimbabwe remained South Africa's major source of tourist arrivals, while the UK, US, Germany, the Netherlands and France were South Africa's top five overseas tourist markets.

14.6% growth from Asia

However, the growth in the country's tourism arrivals was driven by a 14.6% growth from the emerging markets of Asia - with a 24% increase in arrivals from China and a 26% increase in arrivals from India.
Van Chalky said South Africa would continue to invest in marketing the country to India and China, adding that South African Airways' launch in January of direct flights between Johannesburg and Beijing would add to the growth.
While North American numbers grew by 2.3%, European arrivals declined by 3.5% in 2011, in line with worsening economic conditions there - yet despite this, arrivals from Germany increased by nine percent, with 236 000 arrivals, many of them young people.
Van Chalky said the hard work by SA Tourism's Germany office had led to an increased awareness and positivism towards South Africa, particularly around the country's lifestyle.
The UK remained South Africa's number one overseas market with 420 500 arrivals, despite a decrease of seven percent.
Arrivals from two of South Africa's other key European markets - the Netherlands and France - also declined last year, while arrivals from Italy were up.

African arrivals up by 6.8%

Arrivals from the African continent increased by 6.8%, with a 38% increase from Nigeria.
"Tourists from Africa are major leisure tourists, attracted by the country's beauty, nightlife and lifestyle and shopping attractions," Van Chalky said.
He added that the 2013 African Nations Cup soccer tournament would be a big opportunity for the country to drive arrivals from the African continent.
Gating and the Western Cape remained the country's most visited provinces in 2011.
Source: Butanes

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