South Africa vs United States of America: International trips for personal vs. business and professional reasons
South Africa
8.64 million trips
in 2024
United States of America
8.05 million trips
in 2021
South Africa rank
27th
United States of America rank
29th
International trips for personal vs. business and professional reasons over time
- South Africa
- United States of America
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 8.64 million trips against 8.05 million trips in United States of America, a difference of 596,600 trips.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.1 times United States of America's.
Across all 25 years both countries report, United States of America has been ahead every year.
South Africa ranks 27th and United States of America ranks 29th of 179 countries.
United States of America has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | United States of America | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4.87 million trips | 16.89 million trips | 12.02 million trips | United States of America |
| 2000s | 6.88 million trips | 15.70 million trips | 8.82 million trips | United States of America |
| 2010s | 9.14 million trips | 28.41 million trips | 19.27 million trips | United States of America |
| 2020s | 2.38 million trips | 7.01 million trips | 4.63 million trips | United States of America |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher international trips for personal vs. business and professional reasons, South Africa or United States of America?
- South Africa, at 8.64 million trips against 8.05 million trips in United States of America as of 2024.
- What is the difference in international trips for personal vs. business and professional reasons between South Africa and United States of America?
- 596,600 trips, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and United States of America?
- 25 years are reported by both, from 1997 to 2021.
- How do South Africa and United States of America rank globally for international trips for personal vs. business and professional reasons?
- South Africa ranks 27th and United States of America ranks 29th of 179 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as International trips for personal vs. business and professional reasons. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Number of international trips where the main purpose is personal (leisure, visiting friends and relatives, health, etc.) and the visitor stays overnight.