South Africans took fewer domestic trips in 2025 compared to the previous year, yet overall spending on these trips increased. According to the Statistics South Africa domestic tourism survey, the number of day trips decreased from 33.5 million in 2024 to 29.1 million, and the number of overnight trips fell from 26.2 million to 24.5 million.
However, total expenditure rose from 60.6 billion rand to 63.2 billion. Spending on day trips increased from 22.2 billion to 22.7 billion rand, while spending on overnight trips grew from 38.4 billion to 40.5 billion rand.
The most frequent reason for foregoing travel was financial constraints. Among those who skipped day trips, 42.9% cited financial limitations in 2025, higher than the 41.8% recorded last year. Similarly, the proportion of such individuals among those who declined overnight trips increased from 42.9% to 43.6%.
Difference in Spending
The average cost of a day trip, calculated based on expenditure data, was approximately 648 rand, and the average overnight trip was about 1670 rand. These figures are averages derived from travelers' reported spending amounts, not fixed prices or what each family actually paid.
The difference between these averages is explained by the fact that an overnight trip includes accommodation. A day trip might cover transport, food, shopping, and entertainment, whereas an overnight stay adds a bed and often more meals.
Reported expenses varied significantly depending on demographic groups. For day trips, white travelers spent an average of 798 rand, Indian/Asian travelers spent 427 rand, Black African travelers spent 601 rand, and Coloured travelers spent 540 rand.
The range of spending was wider for overnight trips: from 1397 rand among Black African travelers to 3274 rand among white travelers; Coloured travelers spent 1643 rand, and Indian/Asian travelers spent 2979 rand.
It is important to note that this data reflects actual spending, not household purchasing power or wealth levels.
Wages
The average monthly income of workers tracked by the PayInc Net Salary Index (approximately 2.1 million earners) was 21,689 rand in September 2026, which was nominally 1.8% higher than the previous year. However, when adjusted for inflation, the real income was 2.6% lower.
Nominal growth that fails to keep pace with price increases effectively represents a decrease in wages. Furthermore, leisure competes with the necessity of paying for food, transport, housing, debts, and school fees before one can be paid.
Neither the wage data nor the tourism survey results prove that the decline in real income caused the drop in domestic travel. Nevertheless, taken together, they paint a picture of households under pressure and forced to plan non-essential spending more carefully.
Domestic tourism is not just recreation, which complicates attempts to put a price on a vacation. Visiting friends and relatives remained the main reason for overnight trips in 2025, although its share decreased from 50.4% to 48.2%. Leisure trips increased from 21.6% to 24.2%. Funerals accounted for 12% of overnight trips, which is higher than 11.2%.
For day trips, shopping was the most common purpose in both years, followed by visiting family and leisure.
The purpose of the trip affects the cost. A person staying with relatives does not pay for accommodation. A tourist traveling for leisure may pay for lodging, food, and entertainment. Transport, whether by private car, taxi, or bus, increases the bill in any case.
Conclusion
More money flowed through the domestic tourism sector in 2025 despite fewer trips. This does not mean that travel has become cheaper or that more households can afford it. Since real wages have decreased and financial constraints have become the most common barrier to travel, the question for many households is not where to go, but whether enough remains after covering basic needs to travel at all.
