During January 2004, 168 897 overseas travellers visited South Africa, a 0,8% y/y decrease, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) said on Thursday. This compared with 192 625 overseas travellers in December 2003.
The total number of travellers who arrived in South Africa from mainland Africa during January 2004 was 384 970, a 2,6% y/y decrease. This compared with the December 2003 total of 430 734, which was a 3,8% y/y decrease.
This meant the total number of foreign travellers dropped by 1,4% y/y to 574 537 from December’s 2,5% y/y drop to 641 108, with 20 670 (December 17 749) not specifying their country of origin.
In 2003 there were 6 640 095 foreign visitors to South Africa, a 1,4% rise on 2002. In 2002, foreign visitor numbers had risen by 10,9% y/y largely due to a 19,5% y/y surge in overseas visitors. In 2003 the growth in overseas visitors slowed to 4,3%, while the increase from mainland Africa and unspecified countries eased to 0,2% from a 7,8% increase in 2002.
During January 2004, the number of travellers from the UK visiting South Africa was 42 297 (25% of all overseas visitors), making it the leading country of origin of overseas travellers.
This was followed by travellers from Germany, 22 658 (13,4%); and the USA, 13 893 (8,2%). The other main countries of origin of overseas travellers were: France, 10 147 (6%) ; the Netherlands, 9 784 (5,8%); Australia, 5 861 (3,5%); Italy, 4 652 (2,8%) and Canada, 3 187 (1,9%).
Upon comparing the figures for January 2004 with those of January 2003, the highest increase in the number of arrivals from these leading source countries was for Italy, (20,8% increase from 3 850 in January 2003 to 4 652 in January 2004). The main stated purpose of visit for travellers coming from these leading source countries was holidays, followed by business.
During January 2004, the top eight countries in mainland Africa from which travelers arriving in South Africa came, were: Lesotho, 132 379 (34,4% of mainland Africa visitors); Swaziland, 70 643 (18,4%); Botswana, 56 616 (14,7%); Zimbabwe, 39 812 (10,3%); Mozambique, 35 677 (9,3%); Namibia, 19 137 (5%); Zambia, 9 336 (2,4%) and Malawi, 7 075 (1,8%).
Comparing arrival figures from mainland Africa, for January 2003 and January 2004, there was an increase in the number of travellers arriving from Swaziland, (11,1% increase from 63 603 in January 2003 to 70 643 in January 2004). – I-Net Bridge