KwaZulu-Natal has proven its mettle as an ideal tourist destination, attracting billions of rand in foreign and domestic spend for its tourism coffers.
The region, with its natural splendours and array of tourist attractions, has garnered R1.5 billion in foreign spending in the first quarter of 2025. This is the result of 194,000 tourists descending on KwaZulu-Natal’s shores.
The Tourism Performance Report, Quarter 2, 2025, shows that 1,9 million domestic flights into the province grossed R6.1 million.
Billions in tourism revenue generated out of domestic flights
“These numbers confirm KwaZulu-Natal’s vital role in South Africa’s tourism landscape. While the national figures are consolidated, it is clear that KwaZulu-Natal captures a meaningful share of international arrivals,” said Dr JS Ndbele, the Chairperson of the KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority Board.
“Our province is directly connected to global and regional markets through King Shaka International Airport, the Golela border post, and Kosi Bay, which collectively handled nearly 26,000 arrivals in July 2025 alone.
“This demonstrates that international tourism is not just entering South Africa – it is flowing directly into KwaZulu-Natal, reinforcing our role as both a gateway and a destination of choice,” said Ndebele.
The Report further indicates that 77.5% of tourists to South Africa are from the SADC countries.
According to Ndebele, key gateways like Golela and Kosi Bay are popular choices for Eswatini and Mozambican travellers. They make a meaningful contribution to coastal and inland economies.
King Shaka International Airport links KwaZulu-Natal to regional hubs and long-haul destinations.
Ndebele said this African market was the lifeblood of cross-border trade, family tourism, cultural exchange, and repeat visitation in KwaZulu-Natal.
Impressive, was that the tourism sector in KwaZulu-Natal continued to grow, driven by domestic trips and spending, despite the average time of stay being shorter.
“The report further notes that KZN has a higher share of intra-provincial travel – 78% of trips are people travelling within the province – more than any other province in the country. This tells us that not only are we drawing international and inter-provincial visitors, but our own residents are choosing to explore their own backyard, generating demand across all our districts,” added Ndebele.
