South Africa's tourism surge is driven by Brazilian arrivals and expanded airline capacity
If you’re an international traveller planning a safari for the rest of 2026, chances are you’ve already looked at South Africa, and recent data shows that scores of other international visitors share that sentiment.
New insured-trip data from travel insurance marketplace Squaremouth puts South Africa firmly in the number one spot for safari bookings this year, capturing 36.5% of the market, well ahead of Tanzania (21.4%) and Kenya (20.9%).
It’s not hard to see the appeal. According to Squaremouth’s price index data published in a recent report, South Africa is also the most affordable of the major safari destinations, even as the category overall remains one of the priciest corners of the global travel industry – with Botswana ranked the most expensive of the bunch.
For travellers weighing up big-ticket bucket-list trips, a combination of top billing and relative affordability is a compelling sell.
Squaremouth’s report also flags something worth reading twice before you book: several popular safari countries carry elevated travel advisories, and that has real implications for insurance cover.
Uganda sits at a “Do Not Travel” Level 4, while Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda all have pockets rated Level 3 or 4. Crucially, insurers typically exclude Level 4 zones from standard cover unless a policy includes Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) or Interruption For Any Reason (IFAR) add-ons – and because advisories can shift with little warning, the safest move is to buy cover before a destination’s rating changes, not after.
Safari demand is just one thread in a bigger story about South African tourism’s momentum this year.
Data shared by Kruger Gate Hotel shows that international arrivals climbed 12.8% year-on-year between January and May 2026, building on a 2025 that Statistics South Africa already clocked at around 10.5 million visitors. This is a 17.7% jump on 2024, and above pre-pandemic levels.
South Africa has claimed the top spot for safari bookings in 2026, new data shows – and it’s just one part of a tourism surge being driven by Brazilian arrivals and expanded airline capacity. Picture: iStock
The standout growth market has been Brazil.
Stats SA figures show Brazilian arrivals up 40.6% in May alone, year-on-year, with January-to-May arrivals up 32% to 29 920 visitors. The statistics show a run of consistent double-digit growth over time and not a one-off spike.
The appetite now has a direct flight to match it: LATAM Airlines launched Cape Town-São Paulo service on 2 July, three weekly flights on a Boeing 787-9, brought forward two months ahead of schedule on the back of demand.
Speaking at the inaugural flight’s arrival, Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille framed the new route as being about “unlocking economic growth, creating jobs and making South Africa more accessible to the world”.
Anton Gillis, CEO of Platinum Hospitality Holdings, ties the surge to South Africa’s core offering.
“South Africa offers what very few destinations can: genuine wildlife, world-class wine country, iconic cities and extraordinary value, all in one itinerary and one favourable exchange rate,” Gillis says, adding that Brazilian travellers are arriving “with an appetite for exactly the safari, coastal and cultural experiences this country does best”.
He points to a tangible shift in forward bookings at Kruger Gate Hotel since the São Paulo route was confirmed, including, he says, glowing reviews from newly arrived Brazilian guests.
Brazil isn’t the only market putting more seats into South Africa. After a rocky stretch of Middle East disruption, Gulf carriers have expanded capacity.
Emirates brought back a fourth daily Johannesburg-Dubai service and added a third daily Cape Town flight on 1 July, taking it to 56 weekly flights across South African gateways, with a seasonal second A380 service reinforcing Johannesburg.
Qatar Airways has lifted its Johannesburg-Doha frequency from 18 to 21 weekly services, and Cape Town-Doha from 12 to 14. Air Europa has added direct Madrid-Johannesburg flights, and Airlink is set to open its first direct Cape Town-Zanzibar route in October.
Gillis calls airline capacity “the single most reliable leading indicator” the tourism industry has, arguing that carriers don’t add frequencies on sentiment alone. They add them against forward bookings.
