Top Source Markets Soar Into 2025

The US and UK showed the highest year-on-year growth among South Africas top five overseas source markets in January this is an encouraging sign for the country needing to accelerate post-COVID recovery this year.

The US market, the star performer in 2024, continued its strong showing into the new year with a 13.2 year-on-year increase to 25406 arrivals equating to 99 of the 2020 figure. The UK market, after a dampened 2024 with arrivals contracting by 1.8 from 2023, showed a 12 year-on-year increase to 45363 a 92 recovery rate.

This is according to Statistics South Africas first international tourism report for 2025, which shows that overseas arrivals totalled 210709 in January an increase of 7.8 from last year but still 13 behind pre-COVID January 2020.

Rhino Africa CEO David Ryan said demand from the US exploded after the elections in November last year.

In the months after the elections, demand took off and exceeded the increases reflected in the Statistics South Africa figures. Weve kicked off this year with our two biggest consecutive months in history in terms of US bookings. This is notwithstanding the views that President Donald Trump has publicly aired about South Africa.