Good tourist arrivals in February 2012

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Created on Saturday, 30 June 2012 09:59

The figures for foreign tourist arrivals for Jan-Feb 2012 have been released. Jan-Feb 2012 tourist arrivals to South Africa grew by 10.2% compared with the same period in 2011. The main contributor was Africa land arrivals but growth was recorded in most regions.

Total tourist arrivals to South Africa for Jan-Feb 2012 increased by 10,2% (144,315) to 1,564,740 compared with 1,420,425 arrivals in Jan-Feb 2011. African land arrivals increased by 7,9% to 1,077,962, with overseas tourist arrivals increasing 14,7% to 424,847 arrivals.

Europe remained the top performing overseas source region in terms of tourist arrivals, followed by Asia and Australasia and then the Americas.
 
All key European (including the UK) markets continued their growth, Italy by almost 10%
Tourist arrivals from Europe increased by 7,7% (18,880) for Jan-Feb 2012 to 263,782 compared with 244,902 for Jan-Feb 2011.

UK arrivals increased by 5,1% (4,336) to 89,812. The next best performing European source market was Germany, which grew 7,8% (3,495) to 48,329 arrivals for Jan-Feb 2012. The Netherlands grew by 7% to 22,226 arrivals. France arrivals grew by 6,6% to 20,367 arrivals. Italy arrivals grew by 9,9% to 8,520. Sweden arrivals declined by 3,4% to 10,452. There were also increases in arrivals from Switzerland (22,8%) to 9,440, Portugal (19,3%) to 7,689, and Belgium (7%) to 7,284 arrivals.

Good growth continues from the Americas
Tourist arrivals from the Americas grew by 26,6% (15,830) to 75,426, with growth in all regions. Arrivals from Central and South America increased by 67,9% (9,079) to 22,449. Arrivals from North America increased by 14,6% (6,751) to 52,977.

Brazil remained the top performing Central and South American market growing by 93,9% (6,837) to 14,122.  Arrivals from Argentina grew by 35,3% (1,279) to 4,904. Chile arrivals grew by 20,2% and Mexico by 31,9%, both off a very low base.

Tourist arrivals from North America increased by 14,6% (6,751) to 52,977. US arrivals increased by 14,9% (5,427) to 41,846 arrivals. Canada arrivals increased by 13,5% to 11,131 arrivals.

Excellent growth from Asia & Australasia
Arrivals from Asia & Australasia increased by 31,1% to 76,295 for Jan-Feb 2012. This was driven by very good growth in Asian markets, which increased by 42% (16,805) to 56,842 arrivals.

China growth continued to surge, increasing by 68,6% (8,453) to 20,771 arrivals. India arrivals increased by 18% (2,137) to 14,001. Tourist arrivals from Japan increased by 32,5% (890) to 3,625. Arrivals from the Republic of Korea increased by 31,1% (989) to 4,170.

Arrivals from Australasia increased by 7% (1,275) to 19,453. Arrivals from Australia increased by 6,9% (1,086) to 16,797 arrivals, with arrivals from New Zealand increasing 7,7% to 2,616.

Growth recorded in most African air and land markets
Tourist arrivals from African air markets increased by 20,8% (11,538) to 67,078. The biggest growth in percentage terms in the African air markets came from Angola, which grew by 59,6% (4,010) to 10,740. The biggest African air market in terms of tourist arrivals was Nigeria, which grew by 31% (2,679) to 11,325.

Arrivals from Kenya grew 4,6% to 4,895 arrivals. The DRC arrivals declined by 10,9% (-634) to 5,165.

In the smaller African air markets, arrivals from Tanzania continued to grow, increasing by 29,2% (1,241) to 5,486 arrivals. Growth was also recorded from Israel (12,5%), Ghana (19,7%) Mauritius (16,1%), Turkey (46,6%), Uganda (6,7%)  Saudi Arabia (37,5%) and Egypt (8,3%). Arrivals from the Seychelles, UAE and Reunion all declined.

Africa land arrivals grew by 7,9% (79,342) to 1,077,962. Zimbabwe was the biggest contributor in the region with arrivals growing by 31,9% (79,350) to 327,983. The next best performing market was Lesotho, growing by 4,8% (13,050) to 283,103.

Mozambique arrivals declined by 9,5% (-22,227) to 211,125 arrivals. Swaziland arrivals increased by 16,8% (17,448) to 121,329 arrivals. Botswana arrivals declined by 21,9% (-15,500) to 55,215. Namibia arrivals increased by 7,2% to 30,272, and Zambia arrivals increased by 3% to 25,174. Malawi arrivals increased by 23% to 23,761.