Cape Town Tourism · Destination Intelligence

The story the data tells.

What the 2025 numbers say about Cape Town's visitor economy.

01
Tourism Performance
Tracking the visitor economy
In 2025, foreign overnight visitors reached 1·44 million, staying an average of 9·5 nights and spending R1 390 a day, for R19 billion in total foreign direct spend. Domestic overnight trips reached 1·42 million, with the average stay falling from 5·2 to 4·4 nights and daily spend easing to R882.
- 13·6 million foreign bed nights sold
- 6·2 million domestic bed nights sold
- R24·5 billion total direct tourism spend
02
Economic Impact
Quantifying tourism's contribution to Cape Town
Cape Town's tourism industry generated R24·5 billion in direct tourism spend and sustained more than 106 000 jobs in 2025, 6·2 % of the city's employment. Tourism's gross value add reached R23 billion, 6·3 % of Cape Town's economy.
- R23 billion tourism gross value add
- 106 358 people employed in tourism
- 6·2 % of Cape Town's total employment
03
Visitor Behaviour
Understanding travel impacts
The decline in domestic tourism spend reflects the economic reality facing South African households. Total domestic spend fell from R8 billion to R5·5 billion, contributing to the dip in tourism gross value add and employment. That is not weakened demand for Cape Town as a destination; it is constrained household budgets across South Africa.
- Average domestic stay down from 5·2 to 4·4 nights
- Domestic daily spend eased to R882
- Foreign spend held at R19 billion

A quiet Athlone street of flat-roofed apartment blocks under Table Mountain, trees lining the road

Athlone the mountain belongs to every street. Photograph · Esteedv

The 2025 dashboard.

Four views of the destination: performance, airlift, accommodation, and source markets.

I tourism

Tourism Performance

Foreign and domestic performance across visitors, length of stay, bed nights, and spend in 2025.

Foreign Domestic

Overnight visitors 1·44 M 1·42 M

Average stay · nights 9·5 4·4

Bed nights sold 13·6 M 6·2 M

Spend per day R1 390 R882

Total direct spend R19 B R5·5 B

II airport

5 546 232 passenger arrivals 2025 · +7% YoY

Domestic 3 890 774 +7%
Regional 117 018 +17%
International 1 532 814 +8%

III accommodation

61·7% avg occupancy

Peak occupancy · February 81·5%
Average room rate R2 574
Peak room rate · February R3 334

IV markets

Top 15 Source Markets

01 United Kingdom 210 932
02 United States 167 053
03 Germany 161 271
04 Netherlands 70 818
05 France 68 348
06 Australia 51 971
07 Brazil 35 378
08 Canada 34 564
09 Italy 30 968
10 Switzerland 26 973
11 Belgium 24 650
12 Spain 17 556
13 Russian Federation 16 636
14 Sweden 16 521
15 Ireland 15 971

Visitors walk into the Guga S'thebe arts centre in Langa, its white walls lined with ceramic murals

Guga S'thebe where the city makes its culture. Photograph · Esteedv

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A woman in a denim jacket laughs in front of a vividly painted mural wall in Langa

Langa colour is a local language. Photograph · Esteedv

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