South Africa is Surging Travel Industry with Visa-Free Entry to 106 countries including Russia, Indonesia, Egypt, Ethiopia and South Korea

Published on July 31, 2024

By: Rana Pratap

South Africa’s travel industry is experiencing a remarkable surge due to its citizens’ visa-free access to 106 countries. This policy facilitates easy travel to diverse destinations, including Russia, Indonesia, Egypt, Ethiopia, and South Korea. By offering visa-free entry to such a wide range of countries, South Africa empowers its citizens to explore new cultures, expand business opportunities, and strengthen international ties. This accessibility not only enhances the travel experience for South Africans but also stimulates economic growth through increased tourism and international collaboration.

In 2022, the South African tourism market saw 4.06 million outbound trips, while domestic travel reached 51.1 million. As of January 2024, 357,200 South African residents departed the country, a notable drop from 620,600 in December 2023, likely due to many taking vacations during the holiday shutdown period.

TTW Editor Mr. Anup Kumar Keshan said: “The increase in outbound travel from South Africa, particularly to other African countries, highlights a growing interest in exploring nearby destinations. This trend not only boosts local economies but also strengthens regional cultural connections. The significant spending by South African travelers abroad, especially in the UK, showcases the substantial economic impact of this tourism market on a global scale.”

In 2023, international departures from South Africa increased by 40%. Outbound travel wasn’t dominated by any single destination, but intraregional travel was prominent, with seven of the ten most popular destinations being in Africa, including Lesotho, Mozambique, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Eswatini.

South African travelers made 4.1 million outbound visits in 2023, spending a total of US$2.4 billion. The UK alone welcomed 219,000 visitors from South Africa, with their total expenditure reaching £288.4 million, averaging £1,318 per visit.

Countries South African passport holders can visit visa free:

• Angola
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Argentina
• Bahamas
• Barbados
• Belize
• Benin
• Botswana
• Brazil
• British Virgin Islands
• Cayman Islands
• Chile
• Costa Rica
• Dominica
• Dominican Republic
• Ecuador
• El Salvador
• eSwatini
• Falkland Islands
• Fiji
• Gabon
• Georgia
• Ghana
• Grenada
• Guatemala
• Guyana
• Haiti
• Honduras
• Hong Kong (SAR China)
• Israel
• Jamaica
• Kenya
• Kiribati
• Kosovo
• Lesotho
• Macao (SAR China)
• Madagascar
• Malawi
• Malaysia
• Mauritius
• Micronesia
• Montserrat
• Mozambique
• Namibia
• Nicaragua
• Niue
• Oman
• Palestinian Territory
• Panama
• Paraguay
• Peru
• Philippines
• Reunion
• Russian Federation
• Rwanda
• Senegal
• Singapore
• St. Kitts and Nevis
• St. Lucia
• St. Vincent and the Grenadines
• Tanzania
• Thailand
• The Gambia
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Tunisia
• Turks and Caicos Islands
• Uruguay
• Vanuatu
• Venezuela
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

Countries with Visa on Arrival (VOA):

• Armenia
• Bolivia
• Burundi
• Cambodia
• Cape Verde Islands
• Comoro Islands
• Djibouti
• Egypt
• Ethiopia
• Guinea-Bissau
• Indonesia
• Iran
• Jordan
• Kyrgyzstan
• Laos
• Maldives
• Marshall Islands
• Mauritania
• Nepal
• Nigeria
• Palau Islands
• Qatar
• Samoa
• Saudi Arabia
• Seychelles
• Sierra Leone
• Somalia
• St. Helena
• Tajikistan
• Timor-Leste
• Tuvalu

Countries with Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA):

• Pakistan
• South Korea
• Sri Lanka

List of Airports in South Africa:

O. R. Tambo International Airport:
Located in Kempton Park, Gauteng, O. R. Tambo International Airport serves the twin cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria. It is the primary hub for both domestic and international travel in South Africa, and has been Africa’s second busiest airport since 2020, with a capacity to handle up to 28 million passengers annually. The airport, a hub for South African Airways, manages over 21 million passengers per year and records 110,286 air traffic movements. It was awarded fourth place in the Best Airport ACI-ASQ Awards for the Middle East and Africa.

Cape Town International Airport:
Cape Town International Airport, situated approximately 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the city center, is the primary international airport serving Cape Town. Opened in 1954, it replaced the former Wingfield Aerodrome and is the second-busiest airport in South Africa and the fifth-busiest in Africa. It features domestic and international terminals connected by a central terminal. The airport offers direct flights from Johannesburg and Durban, as well as international flights to destinations across Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Europe, South America, and the United States. The route between Cape Town and Johannesburg was the world’s ninth-busiest in 2011, with an estimated 4.5 million passengers. The airport has 5,404,706 departing passengers and 51,497 arriving air traffic movements. It received second place in the Best Airport ACI-ASQ Awards for the Middle East and Africa.

King Shaka International Airport:
King Shaka International Airport, abbreviated KSIA, is the main international airport serving Durban, located in La Mercy, KwaZulu-Natal, about 35 km (22 miles) north of the city center. Opened on May 1, 2010, it was built to expand the region’s international services, coinciding with the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The airport is also a significant hub for domestic flights within South Africa, connecting the “Golden Triangle” between Cape Town International Airport, O. R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, and KSIA. It serves seven passenger and two cargo airlines for domestic services. The airport handles 2,818,611 departing passengers and 27,041 arriving air traffic movements, and was awarded fifth place in the Best Airport ACI-ASQ Awards for the Middle East and Africa.

Airlines boosting South Africa travel and tourism industry:

South African Airways (SAA) is the national carrier of South Africa, established in 1934. The airline operates from its headquarters at Airways Park, O. R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. SAA serves 13 destinations within Africa and has two intercontinental routes to Perth, Australia, and São Paulo, Brazil. It joined the Star Alliance in April 2006, becoming the first African airline to join one of the three major global airline alliances.

Airlink, formerly known as South African Airlink, is a regional airline based in Johannesburg. It specializes in connecting smaller, underserved towns with larger hub airports, but has expanded to include mainline routes. Airlink operates a network of over 60 routes to more than 45 destinations across Southern Africa. In January 2021, it became the second-largest airline in Africa by flight frequency and the third-largest by seat capacity.

CemAir (Pty) South Africa serves key tourist destinations and business hubs, in addition to leasing aircraft to other airlines across the continent. Its headquarters and maintenance facility are located in Hangar 6 at O. R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.

FlySafair is an international low-cost carrier based in Johannesburg, South Africa. A subsidiary of Safair, the airline flies to 15 destinations across Sub-Saharan Africa. Its slogan is “For The Love Of Flying.”

LIFT is a South African airline offering domestic flights from O. R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. It operates a fleet of Airbus A320 aircraft, managed by Global Airways.