Spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of GDP in South Africa
South Africa: Spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of GDP was 1.7% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of GDP in South Africa, 1995–2024
Source: UN Tourism (2025); National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of gdp in South Africa is 1.7%, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 7.3% on the previous year and down 39.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of gdp in South Africa peaked at 3.4% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 0.5%, in 2021.
That places South Africa 126th out of 191 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 30 years of available data.
Spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of GDP in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 1.5% | — |
| 1996 | 1.9% | +24.4% |
| 1997 | 2.0% | +5.4% |
| 1998 | 2.2% | +10.4% |
| 1999 | 2.2% | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 2.2% | -2.2% |
| 2001 | 2.4% | +9.3% |
| 2002 | 2.9% | +19.1% |
| 2003 | 3.4% | +18.3% |
| 2004 | 3.0% | -12.6% |
| 2005 | 3.0% | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 3.0% | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 3.1% | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 2.9% | -5.4% |
| 2009 | 2.6% | -9.3% |
| 2010 | 2.5% | -6.2% |
| 2011 | 2.3% | -5.4% |
| 2012 | 2.6% | +10.4% |
| 2013 | 2.6% | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 2.8% | +5.3% |
| 2015 | 2.6% | -4.1% |
| 2016 | 2.7% | +3.2% |
| 2017 | 2.5% | -6.5% |
| 2018 | 2.4% | -5.1% |
| 2019 | 2.3% | -3.6% |
| 2020 | 0.8% | -65.5% |
| 2021 | 0.5% | -35.1% |
| 2022 | 1.2% | +133.3% |
| 2023 | 1.6% | +28.3% |
| 2024 | 1.7% | +7.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.0% | 1.5% | 2.2% | 5 |
| 2000s | 2.8% | 2.2% | 3.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.5% | 2.3% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.2% | 0.5% | 1.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More economy & growth data for South Africa
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 0.4836 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.4 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps -4.01 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0094 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -61.95 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled -2.16 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual -192.73 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0051 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -33.37 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 16.18 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of gdp in South Africa?
- Spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of gdp in South Africa was 1.7% in 2024, according to UN Tourism (2025); National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of gdp recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 3.4% in 2003.
- What is the lowest spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of gdp recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.5% in 2021.
- How does South Africa rank for spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of gdp?
- South Africa ranks 126th out of 191 countries with data for 2024.
- Is spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of gdp rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 39.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UN Tourism (2025); National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Spending by international visitors while visiting a country as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Money received by the destination country from foreign visitors, including spending on accommodation, food, transport, entertainment, shopping, and fares paid to the country’s own airlines, as a share of, as a share of GDP.