Tourexpi
South Africa’s Travel & Tourism Sector Set to Reach Record Employment in 2025
However,
broader indicators reveal that the sector’s full recovery is still underway.
According
to WTTC’s latest Economic Impact Research (EIR), the sector is expected to
support 1.9 million jobs this year—an all-time high—making up 11.3% of total
national employment. This highlights the crucial role Travel & Tourism
plays in driving job creation and economic opportunity across South Africa.
Domestic
tourism remains a pillar of resilience. Spending by domestic travellers is
forecast to reach ZAR 445 billion in 2025, exceeding 2019 figures by 3.8%.
Despite
this growth in employment and domestic travel, other areas are still
recovering. The sector’s total GDP contribution is projected at ZAR 659.8
billion, representing 8.9% of South Africa’s GDP, which remains 3.4% below the
2019 peak.
International
visitor spending is projected to grow but remains subdued at ZAR 128.4 billion,
trailing ZAR 37.7 billion behind 2019 levels.
Julia
Simpson, President & CEO of WTTC, commented:
“South
Africa’s Travel & Tourism sector is slowly turning the corner. Jobs are
leading the recovery, with employment expected to reach new highs—demonstrating
the sector’s powerful human impact.
As
South Africa assumes the G20 Presidency in 2025, there is a major opportunity
to prioritise Travel & Tourism at the heart of the global agenda. We’re
honoured to be working with Minister Patricia de Lille, whose dynamic
leadership will play a key role, including through the upcoming Investment
Summit in September.”
Context
from 2024
In
2024, the Travel & Tourism sector contributed ZAR 618.7 billion to the
economy—9.4% below 2019 levels—and supported 1.8 million jobs.
International
visitor spending stood at ZAR 116.5 billion, while domestic spending reached ZAR
430 billion.
Looking
Ahead: A Decade of Growth
With
the right strategic focus and continued public-private cooperation, WTTC
forecasts that South Africa could see the sector grow to 2.6 million jobs by
2035, accounting for 13.8% of national employment.
By
then, the sector’s economic contribution could reach ZAR 911.7 billion, or 10.3%
of GDP.
For
more insights, including WTTC’s latest Environmental & Social Research
(ESR), visit the WTTC Research Hub.
Image
Credit: © AA
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