South Africa Yearbook 2013/2014 Tourism
SOUTH AFRICA YEARBOOK 2013/14 Tourism has taken its place as a vital contributor to economic growth, catapulting South Africa from a pariah prior to 1994 to one of the fastest-growing Tourism and most desired leisure holiday destinations in the world. The infl ow of tourists to South Africa is the result of the success of policies aimed at entrenching South Africa’s status as a major international tourism and business events destination. The purpose of the National Department of Tourism (NDT) is to be a catalyst for tourism growth and development in South Africa, and to drive the National Tourism Sector Strategy (NTSS). To ensure the achievement of the sector’s targets, the department supports the implemen- tation of the NTSS and work, towards increasing the number of foreign arrivals from 9 933 966 in 2009 to 12 068 030 by 2015, and increasing the number of domestic tourists from 14 600 000 in 2009 to 16 000 000 by 2015. In 2013/14, international tourist arrivals in South Africa grew by 10,2% year on year to almost 9,2 million. Europe remained the highest source of tourists, with arrivals growing by 9,5% year on year to 1 396 978 tourists. The United Kingdom (UK) was South Africa’s biggest overseas tourism market: 438 023 UK tourists travelled to South Africa. The United States of America (USA) was South Africa’s second biggest overseas market, with 326 643 tourists, followed by Germany with 266 333 tourists. France is now South Africa’s fi fth biggest overseas market with 122 244 tourists.
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