Nearly 1 million people visited the country in April despite the Middle East conflict disrupting global aviation

South Africa recorded 989,329 international tourist arrivals in April, marking the country's strongest monthly year-on-year tourism growth so far this year despite ongoing global aviation disruptions linked to the conflict in the Middle East.

Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille on Wednesday welcomed the sharp increase in visitor numbers, with the latest Statistics South Africa International Tourism Report showing arrivals surged by 19.5% compared to April 2025.

The April figures pushed total international arrivals for the first four months of 2026 to 3 899 358, an increase of 14.1% compared to the same period last year. This translates to an additional 482 935 international arrivals between January and April.

"This is our highest monthly year-on-year increase since the start of the year," said De Lille.

"This means that despite the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has led to global flight disruptions and ticket fare price increases, South Africa has not only defended its markets but has also grown in some regions."

The minister pointed to strong growth from several international markets, particularly Singapore and Brazil. Arrivals from Singapore increased by 70.5% to 938 visitors in April, while Brazil recorded a 37.5% rise with 5 953 arrivals.

The tourism sector is also expected to receive a boost from new international air routes scheduled to launch in the coming months.

Brazilian carrier LATAM Airlines is set to introduce three weekly direct flights between Sao Paulo and Cape Town in July, after bringing forward its original September launch date because of increased demand.

READ MORE: South Africa records surge in tourist arrivals

Meanwhile, Spanish airline Air Europa will launch its inaugural direct route between Madrid and Johannesburg on June 24, 2026.

The latest tourism data shows consistent monthly growth throughout the year so far. South Africa recorded 1 133 533 international arrivals in January, followed by 864 534 in February and 911 962 in March.

The Tourism Ministry said the continued growth reflects the resilience of South Africa's tourism industry despite mounting pressure on global aviation networks and rising travel costs internationally.

First published by IOL