What visitors from the UK & Europe love most about South Africa

What visitors from the UK & Europe love most about South Africa — evidence from official statistics

South Africa’s tourism product continues to resonate strongly with visitors from the United Kingdom and mainland Europe. Analysis of recent South African Tourism (SA Tourism) performance reports, Statistics South Africa releases and market-focused material aimed at the UK shows a clear and consistent pattern: wildlife and safari experiences sit at the top of the wish-list, followed closely by natural scenery and outdoor attractions, beaches, food & wine experiences, and a growing appetite for culture and shopping. Below I lay out the main attractions in order of prominence, and show the statistical sources that underpin each finding.

1. Wildlife and safaris — the single biggest pull for UK travelers

Across multiple SA Tourism market documents and the “Unlocking the UK Market” briefing, South Africa is repeatedly identified as one of the top wildlife destinations for British visitors. The UK market material explicitly ranks South Africa highly for wildlife experiences and lists wildlife among the key motivators for visits — a finding that aligns with visitor spend patterns tied to safari lodge stays and game-reserve itineraries. This pattern is also reflected in SA Tourism’s national performance reporting where provinces with strong wildlife product (Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West) show notable international appeal. South Africa Live+1

2. Natural scenery & outdoor attractions — mountains, routes and coastlines

European visitors in particular report enjoying South Africa’s landscape variety — Table Mountain, the Garden Route, the Drakensberg and national parks rank highly on provincial attraction lists. SA Tourism’s national performance publications and the annual performance report show “visiting natural attractions” consistently appearing in the top-activities lists for international tourists. These sources show that combining nature (hiking, drives, scenic viewpoints) with wildlife is a frequent itinerary choice for European travellers. South Africa Live+1

3. Beaches and coastal experiences — warm seas, surf and seaside towns

Beaches and coastal activities come up repeatedly in provincial activity breakdowns published by SA Tourism and Stats SA. Destinations along the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal coasts remain important drawcards for long-haul European markets seeking sun, beach and marine experiences — often as part of a mixed itinerary that also includes inland safari or wine-region stops. Monthly and quarterly tourism releases from Stats SA reinforce that coastal provinces remain among the most visited by international tourists. Statistics South Africa+1

4. Wine, food and gastronomy — Cape Winelands as a high-value experience

Wine tourism and culinary experiences are especially prominent for visitors from wine-loving European markets. The Western Cape’s strong foreign-visitor spend (for example, SA Tourism reports note the Western Cape’s high foreign spend totals) and regional marketing material position the Cape Winelands and gastro-experiences as an important motivator and reason for longer stays in the Western Cape. European visitors often combine wine-region visits with scenic drives and city experiences in Cape Town. South Africa Live+1

5. Shopping, eating out and urban social life

SA Tourism performance releases and Stats SA activity data show shopping and eating out listed among the top activities for international visitors. For many UK travellers, the combination of quality dining, accessible shopping and the urban buzz of cities such as Cape Town and Johannesburg complements natural-product tourism (safari, beaches, wine). Market briefs aimed at the UK also point to above-average spending by British visitors, which aligns with the prominence of shopping and dining in their activity mix. South Africa Live+1

6. Culture, history and heritage experiences — museums, townships and living culture

Cultural heritage — museum visits, organised township experiences, historical attractions — is a regular component of European and UK visitor itineraries. SA Tourism performance reporting and Stats SA survey releases list cultural and heritage attractions among the activities undertaken by international tourists, and many market studies note that visitors often pair wildlife/nature trips with curated cultural experiences to understand South Africa’s history and diversity. South Africa Live+1

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Numbers that matter (quick facts from the official reports)

• SA Tourism’s performance reporting for 2024 shows recovery in international arrivals and highlights the Western Cape as a province with particularly strong foreign spend (Western Cape foreign spend cited in SA Tourism Q4 reporting). South Africa Live+1
• Market-focused analysis in the “Unlocking the UK Market” briefing reports that UK visitors in recent years have had a higher-than-average spend in South Africa (figures such as an average spend in the region of R24k–R28k per visitor are shown in SAT’s UK market materials). The same briefing also identifies wildlife and “break-taking” as top motivators for UK travellers. South Africa Live+1
• Statistics South Africa’s tourism releases (monthly and annual international-tourism reports) document the activity breakdowns and provincial visit patterns that back the assertions above — in short: nature/wildlife/beach/food & wine and urban experiences are repeatedly present in the top activity lists for international tourists. Statistics South Africa+1

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What this means for South African destination managers and hospitality businesses

1. Keep investing in experiential product — safari lodges, guided nature experiences, curated wine-and-dine packages and sustainable coastal activities are what international (especially UK/European) visitors value.
2. Package multi-product itineraries — combine coastal/nature/safari/wine in coherent routes marketed to European source markets; that’s what many visitors do in practice.
3. Highlight authenticity and safety — cultural experiences (township tours, historical sites) add depth to itineraries but perform best when delivered by local, well-trained guides and with clear safety and ethical standards.
4. Focus on high-value spenders — UK visitors in particular have shown relatively high per-visitor spend; tailored premium experiences (luxury safaris, private wine tastings, boutique stays) can capture that value. South Africa Live+1

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Sources

• South African Tourism — Tourism Performance Report | January–December 2024 and Tourism Performance Report | October–December 2024 (SA Tourism official performance publications). South Africa Live+1
• South African Tourism — Unlocking the UK Market (market briefing) (SAT market briefing on the UK). South Africa Live+1
• Statistics South Africa — International Tourism Reports and annual Tourism report (2023–2024) (monthly/annual releases that report arrivals, activities and provincial breakdowns). Statistics South Africa+1
• VisitBritain — inbound market summaries (for comparative context on UK traveller behaviour and spend patterns). VisitBritain.org+1

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