Southern African inbound tourism organisation SATSA says visitor satisfaction levels remain high across key source markets and that travel demand from North America remains strong, with US arrivals having totalled 372 362 in 2024, a 100% recovery to 2019 levels.

The organisation says that recent international media coverage on South Africa has leaned toward sensationalism, and adds that it remains committed to ensuring accurate information reaches potential visitors.

Similarly, it remains committed to working with all stakeholders to maintain South Africa's position as a compelling tourism destination.

“South Africa isn’t perfect and, like every country, we face challenges. But we do not have a crisis that justifies global panic or distorted narratives. We do have millions of tourists arriving safely every year, and leaving with stories that have nothing to do with fear and everything to do with awe,” says SATSA CEO David Frost.

Crime is a concern and continues to be addressed by government and civil society, while incidents involving international visitors remain extremely rare. Major tourism destinations continue operating smoothly owing to coordinated public-private safety initiatives, he adds.

Further, SATSA works closely with industry stakeholders on proactive visitor safety efforts, including the national Tourism Safety Helpline, enhanced security visibility around tourist hotspots, and real-time incident response coordination.

Most popular tourism areas are well-policed, specifically with visitors in mind, and travellers can access emergency assistance 24/7 through dedicated helplines and innovative tools like the location-based support Secura Traveller App.

SATSA plays a key role in driving safety initiatives across the industry, developing comprehensive toolkits, training programmes and traveller support services that ensure visitors are both informed and protected throughout their stay, Frost says.

“The tourism sector employs hundreds of thousands of people, and puts food on tables from Soweto guesthouses right through to safari camps in Limpopo.”

SATSA urges international media outlets and officials abroad to engage responsibly when discussing complex issues like land reform or national crime rates, especially when those discussions affect perception-based industries like tourism directly tied to livelihoods across Southern Africa.