South African Tourism is launching a marketing campaign to shed the country's "Big Brother" image on the continent and attract visitors from West African economic powerhouses, Nigeria and Ghana. The agency acknowledges that South Africa is perceived as unwelcoming, intimidating, and closed-off to African visitors. Research findings show that there is insufficient authentic content available about South Africa's leisure offerings, and the country ranks poorly on key travel attributes, except for wildlife.
The campaign, targeting travellers from Nigeria's big cities and Ghana's economic hubs, aims to position South Africa as a welcoming destination for African nationals. Nigerian travellers have requested a better and more relaxed visa process, citing the current process as complex. Ghana has a 90-day visa waiver with South Africa. Safety is a major concern for travellers, who have faced or heard about crime-related incidents in South Africa.
South Africa enjoys deep economic ties with Nigeria and Ghana, with several South African multinationals present in West Africa's two largest economies. Nigeria is MTN's largest market, with over 100-million subscribers, while major South African banks have a physical presence or representative offices in the country. South Africa remains one of the largest foreign direct investors in Ghana, with companies like Absa, Standard Bank, and Old Mutual having a significant presence.
The campaign will focus on three distinct areas: leisure, business events, and distribution channels. South African Tourism has asked the service provider to drive the message of South Africa's appeal, highlighting its attractions and welcoming nature. The country's tourism sector recorded a strong recovery in 2025, surpassing pre-pandemic levels for the first time since global travel disruptions.
However, anti-immigrant sentiment in South Africa has hurt travel from African countries. Arrivals from Ghana and Nigeria fell 17.8% and 30%, respectively, year on year in June. The country's "Big Brother" image has been fueled by citizen-led movements like March and March, which organised anti-immigrant protests, and Operation Dudula, which targets foreign nationals.
President Cyril Ramaphosa dispatched envoys to capitals around the continent to calm tensions, and the minister of international relations and co-operation, Ronald Lamola, met with Ghanaian leaders in Accra to reassure them over South Africa's migration management and law enforcement. Ghana's political leadership has been incensed by the posture taken by South Africans towards its citizens.
South African Tourism aims to welcome 15-million tourists by 2030, with a focus on attracting visitors from across Africa. The country's tourism machinery relies heavily on travel from sister African countries, which contributed 1.9% to the country's international tourism sector in 2025.
Key points
- South Africa's perceived hostility towards African foreign nationals is deterring tourists from West Africa.
- The country aims to welcome 15-million tourists by 2030, with a focus on attracting visitors from across Africa.
- South Africa's tourism sector recorded a strong recovery in 2025, surpassing pre-pandemic levels for the first time since global travel disruptions.
