‘The most beautiful country in the world’ — De Lille punts local tourism

Speaking at the Department of Tourism’s Easter holiday launch on Monday, Minister Patricia de Lille said, “We’ve got the most beautiful country in the world. I don’t care who says what.”

The pitch was focused on getting locals to travel across South Africa, with De Lille saying that domestic tourism was the “bedrock” of the industry. She said Easter was not just a time to connect with family, it was also a time “drive somewhere and enjoy some of these beautiful places”.

She said her department wanted South Africans to explore more within the country.

In the face of uncertainty about the relationship between South Africa and the US and how that could affect SA’s tourism market, De Lille and the tourism industry appear to be doubling down on promoting local travel while assuring foreign visitors that SA remains a top destination.

Cape Town Deputy Mayor Eddie Andrews speaks to journalists on Monday, 7 April. (Photo: Suné Payne)

Cape Town Deputy Mayor Eddie Andrews said the city would have to focus on what it could control and ensure that Cape Town was positioned as “market ready”.

This comes after attacks on South Africa and its governance by senior US leaders. The tourism industry says what matters now is reassuring travellers with facts, particularly that SA remains a top destination with no travel restrictions related to the US.

Andrews spoke to Daily Maverick on the sidelines of the Tourism Department’s Easter Campaign in the Atlantis Dunes on Monday. The department’s campaign is pitched at SA travellers, calling on them to spend their Easter holidays within the country rather than travelling abroad.

Last year, Daily Maverick reported that in 2023, SA’s domestic tourism generated some R121-billion. By comparison, international tourism contributed R95-billion to the country’s economy.

Read more: Patricia De Lille gives high five to tourism sector for high impact in job creation and economic growth

South Africa has been in the spotlight during US President Donald Trump’s new administration, which has led to pushback on several issues, including the Expropriation Act and SA’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.

Read more: What do the US politicians gunning for SA have in common?

David Frost, the CEO of the Southern Africa Tourism Services Association, told Daily Maverick: “There’s no denying that recent diplomatic tensions between South Africa and the United States — including the announcement of new US tariffs — have introduced a measure of uncertainty… Given that the US is one of our most important source markets for tourism, it’s understandable that questions are being asked.”

He said, however, that political rhetoric and trade policy did not “automatically translate into shifts in travel behaviour.”

“Prior to these developments, overseas arrivals from the US had fully recovered to 100%,” said Frost, looking at pre-Covid figures from 2019 and the recovery in 2024.

“That momentum reflects sustained demand for South Africa as a destination. What matters now is how we respond and reassure travellers with facts.”

He emphasised that there were no travel restrictions between the countries and that US citizens could still enjoy visa-free access to South Africa for up to 90 days.

He said SA should double down on what set it apart: “Unmatched value for money, authentic experiences, and exceptional hospitality. We must also remember that, from an anthropological perspective, South Africa is widely recognised as the cradle of humankind — this presents a powerful storytelling opportunity.”

“Every tourist arriving in South Africa is not only welcomed to our country — they are welcomed home. No other destination can lay claim to this narrative. It is uniquely ours, and we should be leveraging it as a central pillar of our global marketing strategy.

“These are the reasons travellers choose us — and they remain unchanged. Regardless of political developments, tourism has long played a unique role in building bridges between people, even when governments don’t always see eye to eye.”

Tourism and the resulting boost for the hospitality sector are a key driver of jobs in SA and more specifically in the Western Cape and the City of Cape Town.

During her 2025 budget speech, the Western Cape MEC for finance, Deidré Baartman, said, “Tourism has staged a full recovery. International arrivals at Cape Town International Airport rose by 8.9% in 2024 compared to 2019”, with 57.2% coming from the US. DM