By Akani Nkuna
South Africans took fewer domestic trips in 2025, but spending on local travel increased by R2.6 billion to R63.2 billion, according to figures released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) on Tuesday.
The Domestic Tourism Survey (DTS), covering January to December 2025, found that day trips declined by 13.1% from 33.5 million in 2024 to 29.1 million, while overnight trips fell by 6.5% from 26.2 million to 24.5 million.
Despite the decline in travel, expenditure on overnight trips increased from R38.4 billion in 2024 to R40.5 billion in 2025, while spending on day trips rose from R22.2 billion to R22.7 billion.
Total domestic tourism expenditure increased from R60.6 billion to R63.2 billion.
The report also found that financial constraints remained the leading reason South Africans gave for not travelling, followed by having no particular reason to undertake a trip.
Stats SA said the findings highlighted the importance of household finances in domestic travel decisions, with affordability remaining a key consideration for those who did not travel.
The decline in travel was particularly pronounced for day trips, with January and February the only months recording increases compared with 2024. Overnight travel increased in January, February, April and July, but declined in the remaining months.
Shopping remained the most common reason for undertaking day trips in 2025, accounting for 32.4% of respondents’ most recent trips.
Visiting friends and relatives was the second most common reason, accounting for 20% of day trips, followed by leisure travel at 19.7%.
For overnight travel, visiting friends and relatives remained the leading reason, although its share declined from 50.4% in 2024 to 48.2% in 2025.
Leisure travel increased from 21.6% to 24.2%, while overnight trips to attend funerals rose from 11.2% to 12% over the same period.
The survey also showed changes in the provinces South Africans visited.
Gauteng retained its position as the leading destination for respondents’ most recent day trips, increasing its share from 21.7% in 2024 to 23.3% in 2025.
Limpopo overtook the Western Cape to become the second most popular day-trip destination, accounting for 16.7%, compared with the Western Cape’s 16.1%.
For overnight trips, Limpopo overtook KwaZulu-Natal to become the leading destination, accounting for 16.8% of respondents’ most recent overnight trips.
KZN followed at 16.1%, while the Western Cape accounted for 14.1%.
Visiting friends and relatives was the main purpose of overnight travel to Limpopo and KZN, while leisure was the leading reason for overnight visits to the Western Cape.
The survey found that private cars remained the most commonly used transport for both day and overnight trips, followed by taxis and buses.
Staying with friends and relatives was the most common accommodation arrangement for overnight travellers, followed by self-catering establishments and hotels.
People aged between 35 and 44 accounted for the largest proportion of both day travellers and overnight tourists.
