SA’s sluggish Q1 stats: Tourism rethink required?

South Africa’s first quarter (Q1) arrival stats have prompted reflection on the tourism sector’s early performance in 2025 with private-sector leaders emphasising that the sluggish pace of the country’s post-COVID recovery necessitates a strategic rethink.

Official figures from Statistics South Africa show that overseas arrivals totalled just over 641 000 between January and March – a 3% rise from Q1 2024 but still around 90% of pre-COVID 2019.

SATSA CEO David Frost says South Africa needs to move from heavy reliance on seasonal peaks and traditional top source markets such as the US and the UK.

“Many of our competitors have not just caught up – they’ve pulled ahead. If we are serious about…