SOUTH AFRICA’S FOREIGN TOURIST ARRIVALS SHOW POSITIVE GROWTH

Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk recently announced that South Africa has recorded a positive growth of 3.6% in foreign arrivals, whilst most international markets in 2009 had shown a decline.

South Africa recorded 9 933 966 foreign arrivals in 2009, compared to approximately 9 591 828 in 2008.

"I regard this kind of growth in the context of international conditions as a resounding vote of confidence in our tourism industry and our destination," the minister indicated.

“As a whole the figures for 2009 are a feather in the cap of our entire tourism industry and I trust it will inspire everyone to pull out all the stops and put our special South African touch on the last preparations for the World Cup", he said.

Arrivals from central and South America showed a 3.5% growth; visitors from Asia grew by 3.7%; the Africa air market grew by 3.3%, while the Africa land markets showed a 5.7% growth. This accounted for the bulk of the increase in foreign arrivals.