Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes, per capita in South Africa
South Africa: Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes, per capita was 0.135 trips per person in 2024. ▲ Rising
Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes, per capita in South Africa, 1995–2024
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in trips per person.
Analysis
In 2024, arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes, per capita in South Africa stood at 0.135 trips per person.
The figure is up 4.3% on the previous year and down 17.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes, per capita in South Africa peaked at 0.1819 trips per person in 2008 and was at its lowest, 0.0335 trips per person, in 2021.
That places South Africa 90th out of 170 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 30 years of available data.
Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes, per capita in South Africa, year by year
| Year | trips per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 0.0861 trips per person | — |
| 1996 | 0.0943 trips per person | +9.4% |
| 1997 | 0.0948 trips per person | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 0.1083 trips per person | +14.2% |
| 1999 | 0.1126 trips per person | +4.0% |
| 2000 | 0.1112 trips per person | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 0.11 trips per person | -1.1% |
| 2002 | 0.1227 trips per person | +11.5% |
| 2003 | 0.1258 trips per person | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 0.1289 trips per person | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 0.1421 trips per person | +10.2% |
| 2006 | 0.1614 trips per person | +13.6% |
| 2007 | 0.1738 trips per person | +7.6% |
| 2008 | 0.1819 trips per person | +4.7% |
| 2009 | 0.1317 trips per person | -27.6% |
| 2010 | 0.1479 trips per person | +12.3% |
| 2011 | 0.1523 trips per person | +3.0% |
| 2012 | 0.1654 trips per person | +8.6% |
| 2013 | 0.1694 trips per person | +2.5% |
| 2014 | 0.1644 trips per person | -3.0% |
| 2015 | 0.1499 trips per person | -8.8% |
| 2016 | 0.1695 trips per person | +13.1% |
| 2017 | 0.1727 trips per person | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 0.1733 trips per person | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 0.167 trips per person | -3.6% |
| 2020 | 0.0444 trips per person | -73.4% |
| 2021 | 0.0335 trips per person | -24.6% |
| 2022 | 0.0871 trips per person | +159.9% |
| 2023 | 0.1295 trips per person | +48.6% |
| 2024 | 0.135 trips per person | +4.3% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 0.135 trips per person is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.1566 trips per person, 86% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 0.135 trips per person is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.0152 trips per person, 8.9× the median. (38 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes, per capita in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +159.9% | 0.0335 trips per person | 0.0871 trips per person |
| 2020 | -73.4% | 0.167 trips per person | 0.0444 trips per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.0992 trips per person | 0.0861 trips per person | 0.1126 trips per person | 5 |
| 2000s | 0.1389 trips per person | 0.11 trips per person | 0.1819 trips per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1632 trips per person | 0.1479 trips per person | 0.1733 trips per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0859 trips per person | 0.0335 trips per person | 0.135 trips per person | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More reference data data for South Africa
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5111 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 8.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7468 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 41.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 63.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.07 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes, per capita in South Africa?
- Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes, per capita in South Africa was 0.135 trips per person in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes, per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0.1819 trips per person in 2008.
- What is the lowest arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes, per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0335 trips per person in 2021.
- How does South Africa rank for arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes, per capita?
- South Africa ranks 90th out of 170 countries with data for 2024.
- Is arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes, per capita rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes, per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 30 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.