Skift Take
Tourism numbers to South Africa are inching toward a full 2019 recovery. But safety and security concerns pose a challenge to its appeal as a destination.
More international travelers have been visiting South Africa this year, with visitors from the U.S. especially seeing significant growth. But crime fears might deter a full recovery. So leaders are deploying 2,300 tourism monitors during the peak holiday season to bolster the safety of visitors.
A total of 7.6 million international tourists arrived in the country from January to November, according to a report published on Tuesday by Statistics South Africa.
However, visitor numbers still lagged 17% behind the 10.2 million who visited in 2019.
About 370,500 U.S. travelers visited between January and November — a 42% rise compared to the same period a year ago.
"The U.S. remains a top international source market for South Africa and has been recording robust, steady growth in arrivals in 2023," said the country's touri