Germany remains in the top spot as the overseas destination from which tourists arrive in the country.

The 2024 Tourist Statistical Report launched by the Environment, Forestry and Tourism Minister Indileni Daniels shows that over 111,000 tourists arrived from Germany during that year.

Other overseas countries in the top 10 are China, the United States, and the Netherlands.

The report further indicates that South Africa leads on the continent, with over 400,000 tourist arrivals in 2024, followed by Angola, Zambia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe.

Minister Daniel said the collective number of tourists who arrived in the country stands at over 1.2 million.

The figure represents a 45% increase compared to 2023 and indicates a 75% recovery since tourist flows declined during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"This increase in tourist arrivals is a powerful indicator. It's very powerful. If you compare the two statistics now, it's clear where we were and how far we've come since the COVID-19 outbreak," said Daniels. She added that "This increase in tourist arrivals is a powerful indicator of the sector's resilience, and it demonstrates our industry's exceptional strength in overcoming anticipated external shocks or adversities."

The peak season for tourists, as indicated in the report, is between May and August, with an increase seen again between September and December.

Most tourists stay in the country for an average of 14 days, and their visits are mostly for holiday and leisure purposes.

The minister, while apologising for the delayed launch of the report, said that this would not be allowed for future reports under her watch.

She said that data is critical in national planning. "This is critical information. It helps people with their planning for the upcoming year. And I want to make it clear that we will try our best. Now that it will be launched as planned."