JOHANNESBURG, Dec. 15 (Xinhua) -- Driven by its G20 presidency and a series of government measures, South Africa is expected to see this year's international tourist arrivals exceed pre-COVID-19 levels, a government official has said.
Darryl Erasmus, acting chief executive officer of South African Tourism (SAT), told Xinhua in a recent interview that the country's G20 presidency has helped promote South Africa as a tourism destination.
As the first African country to hold the G20 presidency, South Africa hosted over 130 G20-related meetings across different parts of the country, with the G20 Leaders' Summit attended by delegations from more than 42 countries and international organizations. .
"Surpassing pre-COVID-19 levels requires sustained effort and a combination of marketing and policy measures," said Erasmus, adding that the G20 platform has positioned South Africa "top of mind" in key source markets.
"It has strengthened international partnerships, showcased our capabilities as a meetings and events destination, and opened new opportunities for inbound travel. Combined with targeted marketing efforts, this sets the country on a solid path toward not only matching but exceeding pre-pandemic performance," said Erasmus.
According to Statistics South Africa, South Africa received more than 10.2 million international visitors in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, while a total of 8.92 million tourists visited the country in 2024.
Erasmus said South Africa also leveraged its G20 presidency to boost international media exposure and showcase the country's tourism attractions, hospitality sector, infrastructure, and world-class business events capabilities.
"The G20 presidency elevated South Africa's global profile at a crucial time," said Erasmus, adding that it reaffirmed international confidence in the country as a destination, demonstrated its ability to host complex, high-level events seamlessly, and reinforced its reputation as a stable, welcoming and globally connected country.
According to Erasmus, accommodation occupancy across host cities remained at full capacity during the G20 year.
"Hosting the G20 meetings generated broad-based benefits across the tourism value chain," he said, adding that restaurants, transport operators, tourist attractions, as well as small, micro and medium-sized enterprises in various provinces all benefited from the increased business.
South Africa's Department of Tourism said that from January to October 2025, the country received 8.56 million international tourists, an increase of 1.3 million arrivals compared with the same period in 2024.
In October alone, international tourist arrivals reached 927,426, marking a 32 percent year-on-year increase.
As part of broader efforts to sustain tourism recovery, South Africa in February launched the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS) to streamline visa applications for tourists from key source markets, including China and India.
Under the scheme, 110 tour operators from South Africa, China and India were vetted and authorized to process applications. From February to August, the TTOS facilitated the arrival of 25,024 tourists from the two countries.
Erasmus said the feedback from international visitors has been positive, and expressed confidence that many would return to South Africa with their families and friends.
