South Africa recorded a 32% year-on-year increase in tourist arrivals in October, Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille told France’s largest travel agency network on Thursday.

Speaking at the Selectour Congress in Cape Town, De Lille said the October figure pushed year-to-date arrivals to 8.56 million, well above the 7.23 million recorded in the first 10 months of 2024.

“October 2025 recorded 927,426 international arrivals – a remarkable 32% increase compared to October 2024. That’s nearly a million arrivals in just one month,” she said in her keynote address.

France remained one of South Africa’s top five overseas markets, with more than 110,000 French visitors arriving in the year to date, she added.

De Lille said the surge was thanks to the country’s successful hosting of the G20 Leaders’ Summit.

“With 42 countries represented at Nasrec, Johannesburg, our country stood proudly on the world stage: united, efficient, secure, and ready to do business,” she told delegates.

She said new measures to ease access, such as the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, would be expanded early next year.

“Citizens from India, China, Mexico and Indonesia will be among the first … to experience the ability to apply for a visa from the comfort of their homes and get confirmation within 72 hours,” De Lille said.

She also reminded delegates that French hospitality giant Club Med would open its first Southern African resort in KwaZulu-Natal in 2026. This was an indication of international investor confidence, she said.

She also promoted upcoming sporting events, saying that Saudi-backed LIV Golf would stage an event in Johannesburg, and that South Africa would co-host the 2027 Cricket World Cup.

On the business-events front, she said South Africa had already secured conferences worth more than 20 million euros (R415 million) in direct economic impact this year, with potential future bookings worth another 55 million euros (R1.1 billion) through 2031.

Addressing the 50th anniversary congress of Selectour, De Lille thanked delegates for choosing Cape Town and encouraged them to extend stays and explore beyond traditional routes.

“Stay longer. Explore our township experiences, art galleries, culinary journeys, wine routes, eco-lodges, and community projects that offer a deeper connection to the soul of our country,” she said.

“You have come to South Africa at a time when our tourism sector is full of energy, full of confidence, and full of growth.”

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The government is working on more initiatives to enable easy access for tourists wanting to visit the country, according to Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille.

Speaking at the Execution Lab for the Tourism Growth Partnership Plan at Emperor’s Palace outside Johannesburg on Monday, De Lille described the plan as a historic and a bold collaboration between the government, private sector and other stakeholders.

It aims to unlock the full potential of the country’s tourism sector.

She said the priorities had already been identified and must be tackled in unison. Delegates needed to focus on action, innovation and measurable progress.

“We are here because we recognise the challenges in our sector. We know what our targets are for the next five years. But we are also here because we believe in solutions. As I have often said, we cannot keep doing the same things and expect different results,” the minister said.

The plan’s five priorities include ease of access, coordinated destination marketing, tourist safety and security, tourism product development and job creation.

“On ease of access, we are making real progress. Working with the Department of Home Affairs, the roll out of the electronic travel authorisation system is expected to begin next month.

“New initiatives in route development, air access and a new tour operators’ licensing system, which we are currently working on with the Department of Transport, are the potential game changers,” she said.

The minister told the meeting that South Africa must show the world that the country offered more than breathtaking oceans, mountains and wildlife.

Its heritage trails, vibrant townships and charming small towns were a unique experience that stood out in a crowded global marketplace, she said.

The minister said tourism was a pivotal player in the country’s economy. It was responsible for 1.6 million jobs and contributed significantly to the GDP.

She said the department’s ambitious target, according to the National Development Plan, was to have 15 million arrivals by 2030.

“This is achievable. That is why this plan is incorporated into the Department of Tourism’s annual performance plan and into the commitments I have made directly to the president,” De Lille said.

The minister called on the meeting to commit to growing tourism’s contribution to the economy by enabling South Africans to experience and enjoy their country, while at the same time welcoming more visitors by removing all barriers.

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Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille has appointed six people to manage the affairs of the South African Tourism until she appoints a new board.

The follows the minister dissolving the board earlier this week after she accused it of overstepping its legal framework by convening a special meeting in the absence of a chairperson, who has the sole custody and authority to sanction such a meeting.

“The… members possess collective knowledge, experience and qualifications relating to the function of the South African Tourism board,” the ministry said in a statement.

The interim members are:

• Dr Mzamo Masito (chairperson)
• Kholeka Zama (deputy chairperson)
• Dr Shakir Jeeva
• Khomotso Brian Mosehla
• Siobhan Leyden
• Dr Shamilla Chettiar (representative of the department).

Masito has over 25 years’ experience in growing businesses (P&L, revenue, costs, ARPU) including growing brand visibility and brand availability. He is passionate about education and lectured at the University of Cape Town’s Commerce Faculty and at the AAA School of Advertising.

Zama is a qualified Chartered Accountant, who has obtained global exposure to multiple listed and unlisted industries working in executive and nonexecutive roles for over 20 years.

Jeeva is an entrepreneur and multi-award winning financial and investment specialist with over 10 years’ experience in providing consulting services and leading companies in various sectors such as financial services and tourism and hospitality.

Mosehla is a qualified Chartered Accountant and his previous career highlights include corporate finance executive management.

Leyden is an admitted attorney of the High Court with a wealth of experience in both the public and private sectors.

Chettiar is a seasoned civil servant with 24 years of work experience in the public sector, including eight as an executive manager.

“The minister appreciates the commitment of the members to serve South African Tourism and wishes them well,” the statement reads.

De Lille will in due course announce the process to appoint permanent members of the board in terms of Section 13(3) of the Tourism Act. The nominations will be opened to all eligible individuals.

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Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille has dissolved the board of directors of South Africa Tourism after it failed to convince her why it should remain in office.

De Lille’s spokesperson Aldrin Sampear said in a statement on Wednesday that the board overstepped its legal framework by convening a special meeting in the absence of a chairperson, who was the sole custody and authority to sanction such a meeting.

The board has had no chairperson since the resignation of Prof. Gregory Davids on 31 July.

“According to legal advice to the minister, the special board meeting of 01 August 2025 was convened unlawfully. Section 18(2) of the (Tourism) Act empowers only the board chairperson to convene a special board meeting,” Sampear said in a statement.

In the past, the minister has been at pains to explain the implications of undermining protocol and due processes when it comes to meetings. It responded in a letter last month that “enhancements have and will ensure that all meetings are properly constituted, chaired and documented”.

This move follows the board’s decision to suspend CEO Nombulelo Guliwe for misconduct last week.

SA Tourism was recently plunged into a scandal over irregularities in the awarding of a R100 million tender to Pomme Express. The company reportedly failed to show proof of experience and allegedly gave false and misleading information in its bid to organise Meetings Africa 2025 and Africa’s Travel Indaba 2025.

The minister will now start the process to appointing a new board and will invite nominations.

Sampear said that in the interim, De Lille would appoint one or more persons to manage the affairs of the board.

The minister has assured South Africans and the tourism sector that these developments would not derail ongoing programmes, including SA Tourism’s collaboration with the Tourism Business Council of South Africa, to deliver a successful G20 summit.

Sampear also said that the inaugural Tourism Investment Summit in Cape Town next month would go ahead.

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Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille has admitted that some of the department’s strategies are outdated and must be reviewed to achieve the goal of positioning the department as a key driver of economic growth and job creation.

Delivering her budget vote speech for the 2025/26 financial year in the National Assembly, she agreed with the tourism portfolio committee that the department must stop repeating the same actions and expecting different results.

“We will review outdated strategies, including heritage & cultural tourism, rural tourism, service excellence and climate change,” De Lille said.

The minister committed the department to implementing its plans and enhancing governance and oversight to ensure it met the objectives outlined in the Tourism Growth Partnership Plan.

She maintained that the department, the private sector and communities were transforming tourism into what she described as a turbo charger for inclusive growth, jobs and community upliftment.

De Lille tabled a R2.434 billion budget. It got the nod from all Government of National Unity MPs, although they pointed to several shortcomings on delivery, transformation and spending.

Most opposition political parties rejected the budget.

De Lille admitted that underspending in a country with such a high unemployment rate was a slap in the face for the poor and she undertook to do better in the upcoming financial year.

She told the house that the biggest chunk of the budget would be allocated to the South African Tourism at R1.3 billion.

A total of R331 million would go to destination development with most earmarked for the Working for Tourism Programme, and R331 million would be allocated to Tourism Sector Support Services. These included tourism incentive programmes like the Green Tourism Incentive Programme, the Market Access Programme, the Tourism Grading Programme, and the Tourism Transformation Fund.

“This budget vote represents our commitment to action—legislative, operational and strategic.

“It aligns resources to remove barriers, strengthen partnerships and embed innovation and technology so that tourism can realise the full potential of our people and places,” De Lille said.

The minister acknowledged concerns raised by the portfolio committee’s budget report, saying the department would attend to them.

These included the incomplete Tourism Amendment Bill, outdated strategies, the implementation of the community tourism aftercare programme and digital transformation and risk management.

The minister promised that the department would align the Bill with the White Paper with a focus on short-term rentals, grading enforcement and governance.

“We will enhance all new fund contracts for GTIP, TEF, and TTF to include clear deliverables. This will include 60-day approval targets and consequence management when we fail to meet these targets,” she vowed.

The minister said the tourism aftercare programme would support community lodges through business mentorship, marketing linkages, governance training and asset protection.

Digital transformation and risk management Initiatives entailed developing a Digital Maturity Roadmap, a real-time tourism dashboard, data analytics and mobile tools.

She added that the department will implement the Sector Risk and Mitigation Plan, with a focus on climate change, health, safety and governance

“Other interventions to improve governance include quarterly public dashboards for EPWP (Expanded Public Works Programs) placements, fund disbursements, policy reviews and risk metrics,” she said.

The minister also highlighted successes from the previous year, with an increase in international visitors reaching a peak of 9.1 million.

Domestic overnight travel continued its upward trajectory, with 40 million trips recorded compared to 37.7 million in the previous year.

She said international tourists contributed R92.8 billion in the previous financial year, while domestic tourism grew by 7.6%, reaching R133.1 billion in the 2024/25 financial year.

“Domestic tourism is the bedrock of our sector, and to strengthen it further, the Department of Tourism and South African Tourism will provide support for events.

“We directed 76% of our budget to growth and jobs initiatives, with 40% of procurement from SMMEs and 40% from women-owned businesses. We paid 100% of compliant invoices within 30 days, improving supplier confidence,” she said.

The department supported 266 SMMEs in participating in global trade shows through the Market Access Support Programme and spent R144 million to train and deploy 2305 tourism monitors.

The department also completed and implemented the Tourism Master Plan and finalised the Tourism White Paper and Tourism Route Development Marketing Plan in the past financial year.

Another notable highlight was the launch of the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme, which welcomed Chinese and Indian travelers with digital visas in its first phase.

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South Africans can now view the world’s oldest dinosaur embryo in a state-of-the-art centre in the Free State.

Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille has launched the historic Kgodumodumo Dinosaur Interpretation Centre in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park, describing it as the gateway to the country’s deep past and dynamic future.

“It is a joyous occasion for our county as we unveil this new exciting cultural and scientific tourism product.”

The much-anticipated museum, which has been under construction for the past few years, showcases South Africa’s rich paleontological and geological heritage with interactive exhibitions.

The world-class centre, located at the foot of Maluti Mountains, offers a guided tour that transports visitors back hundreds of millions of years to when dinosaurs roamed the earth.

When Professor James Kitching discovered the clutch of eggs in 1976, it caused much excitement in the scientific community because they were determined to be around 200 million years old — the oldest recorded dinosaur embryos.

The Tourism Department secured funding of R120 million from the European Union for the centre, which also celebrates the Indigenous Basotho culture.

“This facility is a wonderful addition to our diverse tourism offerings and it will ensure repeat visits,” De Lille said.

Park manager Paddy Gordon said he hoped the centre would attract more visitors to the park.

“We are not just aiming at visitors who have been here… we want new visitors both locally and internationally to come and learn the story of the dinosaur,” said Gordon.

De Lille agrees.

“Our fossil record provides evidence for us to say to the entire world, “welcome home!”. From the fossil evidence we know that Africa is both the Cradle of Humankind and Cradle of Human Culture.” 

The centre is unique because it offers visitors an interactive demonstration of scientific history, ultimately providing a broader appreciation of South Africa’s cultural heritage.

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Environmentally friendly traveling, eco-tourism and sustainable building practices are some of the topics that will dominate Africa’s inaugural Glamping Expo in Johannesburg on Friday and Saturday.

Glamping, which is luxury camping that combines outdoor experiences in upscale accommodation, is fast becoming popular in South Africa.

Instead of pitching your own tent, you can stay in stylish, fully furnished tents and other unique structures equipped with amenities like a comfortable bed, private bathrooms and kitchens.

Organiser Gugu Sithole told Inside Traveler that the aim of the expo was to showcase how glamping was transforming the tourism industry and exchange ideas on how to grow the sector and popularise it.

Sithole said the exhibition would be attended by tourism leaders, sustainable travel brands and glamping innovators.

Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille was meant to open the exhibition, but due to a Cabinet meeting, she has delegated an official from her department to read her speech.

Sithole is the founder and CEO Glamping Adventure. Her dream is to see the sector grow as it has internationally, with more people opting to have new travel experiences instead of staying in hotels.

She said the event presented an opportunity for role players and the movement as whole to take glamping to another level.

Glamping was also an opportunity for people from rural areas, who had acres of land to build accommodation structures for travellers who preferred stay away from cities and be close to nature.

Sithole said land owners would gain knowledge from experts during panel discussions on how to navigate barriers that stood between them and getting funding to build unique structures for guests. They would also learn how to be compliant and attract investors.

“This is a first for Africa and a proud moment for our tourism industry. This groundbreaking event will spotlight glamping—the fusion of glamour and camping—as a fast-growing, eco-conscious travel trend that aligns with the G20’s key priorities: climate action, innovation and inclusive economic growth.

“Glamping is really gaining traction. Travelers… want eco-friendly stays, they want sustainable accommodation, so it is definitely in an upward trajectory,” said Sithole.

She added that because South Africa has placed solidarity, equality and sustainability at the centre of its G20 Presidency, the Glamping Expo offered a powerful platform to showcase sustainable tourism that benefited the industry, people and the planet.

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Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille has moved swiftly to allay fears for visitors and tourists from the United States that could have been triggered by a travel advisory from that country, which warns them about the dangers when vacationing in South Africa.

In an updated travel advisory posted on 27 May 2025, the US Consulate in South Africa downgraded the country to level 2, which stipulated visitors should exercise increased caution as violent crime including robbery, rape, carjacking and muggings were common.

It further warned that violent crimes were common in big cities and kidnappers targeted US citizens and other foreign nationals to steal money, and although rare, in some instances foreign nationals are kidnapped and ransoms demanded from their families.

“Captors often force victims to withdraw cash or give online account passwords before they are let go. There is risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity in South Africa,” warns the advisory.

De Lille said she had noted the advisory update and respected the sovereign right of every country to provide guidance to its citizens travelling abroad, but it was important to offer context

The minister committed the country to ensuring the safety, comfort and enjoyment of all visitors, saying their safety remained a national priority.

This priority, she added, was actively addressed through a range of coordinated efforts between government, law enforcement, the tourism sector and local communities.

“Our tourism infrastructure remains robust and resilient, with several established safety measures, including increased security presence in key tourism nodes, supported by trained tourism monitors stationed at popular attractions and visitor hotspots and ongoing collaboration between government, law enforcement and the private sector to ensure proactive safety monitoring and swift incident response,” she said.

De Lille said South Africa remained one of the most sought-after and rewarding travel destinations in the world — known for its natural beauty, cultural diversity and the warm hospitality of its people.

She admitted that while challenges such as crime existed, as they did in many countries globally, the majority of international visitors travelled safely and left with positive, enriching experiences.

The minister told a parliamentary portfolio committee earlier this week that tourism from the US continued to surge, with more than a 10% increase in visitors, despite persistent claims of a so-called “white genocide” in South Africa.

In a statement responding to the updated advisory, the minister said travel demand from the US remained robust and in 2024, arrivals from that country returned to pre-pandemic levels and surpassed the United Kingdom as South Africa’s source market.

“In the first four months of 2025 alone, South Africa welcomed 111,491 visitors from the USA — reaffirming the destination’s enduring appeal and strong market confidence.

“We understand that travellers may have concerns, and we encourage all visitors to exercise the same level of vigilance and awareness they would when visiting any international destination,” she said.

De Lille appealed to the media and government agencies across the world to report on South Africa with accuracy and balance. She added that reports should recognise the distinction between isolated incidents and the broader reality.

The minister reassured travellers that South Africa remained open, welcoming and committed to ensuring a safe and pleasurable visit and that her department and the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation would continue to engage US authorities on the matter. 

“We look forward to continuing to welcome travellers from the United States and across the globe to share in the richness of our landscapes, the depth of our culture and the warmth of our people,” she said.

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Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille has credited the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS) for the sharp increase of visitors from India and China.

The minister said in a statement that since the digital visa application system was introduced three months ago, 11000 visitors have come into the country.

More telling was that the applications for visas jumped from 50 a day in March to 200 a day in May.

“TTOS is a testament to what is possible when government works hand-in-hand with the private sector to remove barriers and unlock economic potential.

“By simplifying visa access for group travel through a secure, digital-first platform, the scheme has opened South Africa to new visitors who may otherwise have been lost to more accessible destinations,” she said.

De Lille commended Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber and his department for driving this reform.

She fully supports the expansion of TTOS. 

The minister said the Electronic Travel Authorisation system would be key to driving a tourism boom throughout the world.

“These digital solutions are the future of global travel and South Africa must be at the forefront of this shift. Tourism is one of our nation’s most vital sectors for inclusive growth.

“Removing visa friction, particularly in key markets like China and India, is not just a win for international arrivals—it is a decisive intervention to stimulate job creation and economic resilience at home,” she said.

De Lille has committed to working with home affairs and industry stakeholders to expand reforms, grow the tourism economy and ensure that South Africa remains a destination of choice in an increasingly competitive environment.

The minister previously expressed confidence that the new system would lead to more people visiting the country, saying her department together with home affairs, worked tirelessly for the swift implementation of the new and improved visa initiative.

It came to fruition after an inter-ministerial committee comprising the two departments, the State Security Agency and Operation Vulindlela in the Presidency was established to tackle visa issues.

The system kicked into gear in February with 65 tour operators from South Africa, India and China, staring to process visas.

South Africa received 41,600 arrivals from India and 79,700 from China, a minor share of the country’s total arrivals for 2024, which stood at 8.9 million total international arrivals.

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Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille has welcomed Cabinet’s approval of the National Astro-Tourism Strategy, which is geared at enhancing the performance of the country’s astronomy sector.

De Lille said on Friday that the approval made South Africa the first country on the continent to have developed and implemented such a strategy to further drive tourism in the country.

De Lille launched the strategy jointly with Science, Technology and Innovation Blade Nzimande during the World Tourism Day celebrations on 27 September 2024 in Carnavon in the Northern Cape.

“Through this strategy we will showcase all South Africa has to offer with a new area of tourism as we show off the world’s clearest and most beautiful sky,” De Lille said during the launch.

She added at the time that she wanted astrotourism and agriculture to be a catalyst for tourism in this region and that it must benefit rural communities.

The province is the host of the Square Kilometre Array, which will help boost astrotourism.

The minister said in a statement that the strategy aimed to enhance the performance of the sector through infrastructure developments and improvements.

Other areas to boost the sector would be the optimal functioning of various streams of astronomy with tourism offerings, and boosting transformation by enhancing the livelihoods of local communities.

“South Africa is the first African country to develop a National Astro-Tourism Strategy. Its pillars are infrastructure development, optimising astronomy tourism streams, public-private partnerships, inclusive tourism and transformation,” said the minister.

The minister said the country was gaining a global competitive advantage due to key critical factors.

She identified them as:

• The majority of cloudless skies provide a unique tourism experience for skygazing (optical astronomy)
• Quality dark skies (low light pollution) and radio quiet zones over large areas of the country, especially in rural tourism destinations
• The southern skies advantage. South Africa is favourably positioned to many celestial phenomena that cannot be seen from the Northern Hemisphere
• Four of the world’s best-preserved meteorite impact craters are found in South Africa (unique multi-science offerings) and
• The country hosts two of the globe’s most significant astronomy initiatives, the SKA and the SALT.

De Lille thanked all astronomy role players and tourism stakeholders for their invaluable input into developing the strategy.

She singled out the Northern Cape department of economic development and tourism in her appreciation.

“This strategy positions South Africa as an inclusive astrotourism sector that will yield sustainable benefit sharing opportunities by maximising marketing efforts and enhancing visitor experience. The gallery in the skies, with its cosmic wonder, enhances the experience that is uniquely South African. A tourism star is born!” she said.

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