Cape Town Tourism Statistics

Cape Town is a globally recognised destination, attracting millions of visitors each year and playing a crucial role in the local economy.

Around 2.4 million tourists visit Cape Town each year, making it one of Africa’s most visited cities.¹

• Approximately 3.39 million overnight tourists visited Cape Town in 2019, including 1.94 million international visitors (57.2%) and 1.45 million domestic tourists (42.8%).²
• Overnight tourists in 2022 totalled 1.93 million, reflecting a 43.1% decline from 2019 due to ongoing pandemic recovery.³
• Total overnight tourists in 2023 reached 2.48 million visitors, approaching pre-pandemic levels based on official figures.⁴
• By 2024, Cape Town welcomed 2.39 million overnight tourists, compared with 2.48 million in 2023 (-3.6%).¹

Tourism is a major economic driver for Cape Town, generating billions in revenue annually.

• Total visitor spending reached ZAR 20.8 billion in 2019, with international tourists contributing ZAR 17.5 billion and domestic tourists ZAR 3.3 billion.⁵
• Spending rebounded to ZAR 17.9 billion in 2022, showing a 220% recovery from pandemic lows.⁵
• Tourist spending was ZAR 23.5 billion in 2023, reflecting increased visitor numbers and higher average expenditure per trip.⁵
• International tourists spent an average of ZAR 14,800 per trip or ZAR 1,243 per day in 2022, compared to ZAR 9,000 per trip or ZAR 942 per day in 2019.⁵
• Domestic tourists spent an average of ZAR 5,080 per trip in 2022, more than double the ZAR 2,280 per trip recorded in 2019.⁵
• By 2024, visitor spending in Cape Town reached ZAR 24.5 billion, compared with ZAR 23.5 billion in 2023 (+4.3%).⁵

Cape Town sees a mix of domestic and international tourism, with the balance shifting post-pandemic.

• The proportion of international visitors was 57.2%, while domestic visitors comprised 42.8% in 2019.²
• In 2022, the split reversed, with 43% international and 57% domestic visitors due to slow international recovery.³
• By 2024, the balance had shifted to 55% international and 45% domestic visitors, compared with 50% international and 50% domestic visitors in 2023.¹

Cape Town remains one of the continent’s most decorated urban destinations, with the city recognised as Africa’s Leading City Destination in 2025 by the World Travel Awards.⁷

• Voted Best City in the World in 2025 by the Telegraph Travel Awards.⁸
• Cape Town ranked 6th in the 2026 Time Out global city ranking, following a top-place finish in 2025 and a 2nd-place ranking in 2024.⁹

Many Cape Town residents travel internationally, particularly during peak holiday seasons, although official statistics measure South African residents departing through Cape Town International Airport.

• Approximately 409,184 South African resident international departures were recorded via Cape Town International Airport in 2019.²
• In 2022, 349,631 South African residents departed internationally from Cape Town.³
• Outbound travel exceeded pre-pandemic levels, with 425,762 international departures in 2023.⁴
• By 2024, Cape Town International Airport recorded 413,706 South African resident departures, compared with 425,762 in 2023 (-2.8%).¹