Number of tourists arriving in South Africa from 2011 to 2020, by mode of travel

The number of tourists arriving in South Africa amounted to 2.8 million in 2020. Of those, the majority entered the country via road, adding up to just over two million. This represented close to 72 percent of the total arrivals. Arrivals by air followed with around 774 thousand visitors. On the other hand, tourists entering the country by sea amounted to 10,000 only. Notably, the number of travelers had a severe dip compared to previous years due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic's negative impact on travel.