With rising international visitor spend boosting growth and domestic travel slowing under economic pressure, the 2025 tourism landscape reflects a divided performance.
Cape Town’s tourism sector generated R24.5 billion in direct spend in 2025 and supported more than 106,000 jobs, according to the latest Economic Value of Tourism report.
While international tourism reached record highs, domestic travel weakened under economic pressure, creating a split picture for the city’s tourism economy.
Foreign visitors drove much of the growth. In 2025, Cape Town welcomed 1.44 million international overnight visitors, who stayed an average of 9.5 nights and spent about R1,390 per day.
This resulted in R19 billion in foreign direct spend, marking a strong year for the city’s global appeal. Key source markets included the United Kingdom, United States, Germany, Netherlands, France and Australia.
