Pretoria - The number of foreign visitors travelling to South Africa had dropped in September, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) said on Monday.
"The corresponding volumes for foreign arrivals and departures were 960 976 and 815 333 respectively," Stats SA said in its tourism and migration report.
The figures for travelers coming into the country in September declined for both foreign travelers as well as South Africans in comparison to August 2010.
According to Stats SA, South African residents' departures increased whereas foreign departures declined.
South African arrivals declined by 1.2 percent from 465 993 in August to 460 444 in September, while there was an increase of 3 percent from 469 512 in August to 483 727 in September for South African departures.
"Foreign arrivals declined by 8 percent from 1 044 418 in August 2010 to 960 976 in September 2010 and foreign departures declined by 6 percent from 867 762 in August 2010 to 815 333 in September 2010," said Stats SA.
In September, a total 2 720 480 travellers (both arrivals and departures) passed through the country's ports of entry, of which 944 171 were South African residents and 1 776 309 foreign travellers.
Between September 2009 and September 2010 there was an increase in all movements with South African residents' arrivals increased by 22.8 percent from 374 993 in September last year to 460 444 in September 2010.
Road transport was the most common mode of transportation in September, said Stats SA. Data showed that 36.7 percent of South African residents travelled by air, while 63.3 percent travelled by road.
In the case of foreign travellers, 233 865 (24.3 percent) arrived by air. Those who came by road were 725 893 (75.5 percent). Foreign travelers to SA departed by air (22.8 percent), while 77.1 percent left by road.
In September, 151 380 (88.4 percent) overseas tourists arrived in the country by air, whilst 19 665 (11.5 percent) came by road, in contrast to SADC country tourists who came by air at only 7.7 percent.
Fifty-five percent of oversees tourists came from Europe, followed by North America at 15.9 percent , Asia at 15.1 percent , Australia at 8.4 percent , Central and South America at 3.8 percent and the Middle East at 1.7 percent. Virtually all tourists from Africa came from the SADC countries at 97.2 percent.
"An overwhelming majority (91percent) of tourists were in South Africa for holidays compared to only 0.9 percent and 4.2 percent of tourists who were in South Africa to study and for business purposes," said Stats SA.
