It’s official: tourism in Stellenbosch is booming, driving jobs, growth and opportunity across the local economy.
Stellenbosch, Western Cape – 01 October 2025: New research commissioned by Visit Stellenbosch and funded by the Stellenbosch Publicity and Marketing Fund reveals a buoyant tourism industry, one strategically positioned to amplify economic impact through strategic partnerships and community-led initiatives.
According to phase 1 of the study by Futureneer Advisors, Stellenbosch now attracts 40% of all international visitors to the Western Cape, with tourism supporting over 48,000 jobs and contributing R13.1 billion to the local economy in 2024.
“Tourism is one of the greatest drivers of job creation and local economic development in Stellenbosch. It sustains our small businesses, restaurants, cafés, wineries and hospitality sector, ensuring that livelihoods are supported across our communities. From a municipal perspective, when we get the basics right – clean towns, working infrastructure and a safe, welcoming environment – we create the conditions for tourism to flourish. That is why tourism remains central to our vision of growth, opportunity and shared prosperity.”
–Ald. JS Fasser – Executive Mayor, Stellenbosch Municipality
Phase 2 will dive deeper into traveller behaviours, including accommodation preferences, length of stay, and types of travellers (for example, FIT and group travel), to sharpen marketing efforts and trade partnerships.
In the meantime, Phase 1 numbers reflect a growing momentum in efforts to solidify Stellenbosch’s place not only as South Africa’s premier food and wine destination, but also as a model for how tourism can build a resilient and inclusive economy that benefits all who call this valley home.
Key Numbers from the Stellenbosch Tourism Data Study 2025
- 570,840: The number of foreign tourists who visited Stellenbosch in 2024 (40% of all foreign tourists to the Western Cape).
- 585,693: The number of domestic overnight visits to Stellenbosch in 2024.
- 1.63 million: The number of domestic day visitors to Stellenbosch in 2024.
- R6.3 billion: The direct contribution of foreign and domestic tourism to Stellenbosch’s economy in 2024.
- R13.1 billion: The direct, indirect and induced contribution of foreign and domestic tourism to Stellenbosch’s economy in 2024.
- 23,452: The number of jobs directly sustained by the tourism industry in Stellenbosch in 2024.
- 48,311: The number of jobs directly and indirectly sustained by the tourism industry in Stellenbosch in 2024.
As Visit Stellenbosch prepares to engage key audiences at events like the 2025 Cape Town Concierge Conference, the data underscores two priorities:
Leveraging Trade Networks
- Equipping agents, operators, and concierges with insights to position Stellenbosch as a regenerative tourism hub, were visits actively uplift local communities.
- Developing trade-ready itineraries that connect visitors to immersive experiences, from family-owned vineyards to community art cooperatives.
Growing Domestic Demand
- While international visitors dominate, domestic tourism remains under-tapped.
- There’s an opportunity to convert more day trips into overnight stays via curated packages.
Particularly striking is the fact that 40% of all international tourists to the Western Cape choose Stellenbosch as a destination, underscoring its global appeal.
Yet this success has not yet been fully mirrored locally: only 18% of the province’s domestic overnight tourists and just 1.6 million day-trippers visited Stellenbosch in 2024. Far below Cape Town’s 4.4 million domestic day visitors during the same period.
“This presents a compelling strategic opportunity. While Stellenbosch continues to attract global travellers, our most significant potential for tourism growth may lie closer to home. By cultivating domestic interest to match even a portion of our international appeal, Stellenbosch has the capacity to substantially increase overall visitor numbers, generate billions in additional local economic activity, and create thousands of sustainable employment opportunities, particularly within underserved communities and emerging local enterprises.”
– Annemie Liebenberg, CEO Visit Stellenbosch
Next Steps
This data presents a clear path forward. Tourism has proven itself as a strategic economic catalyst, anchoring a diverse value chain that benefits cafés, vineyards, artists, markets, tour guides, transport services, accommodation providers and entrepreneurs across multiple sectors.
“Phase one represents the foundation. We’ll now examine sub‑regions and specific sectors to target growth more precisely.”
– Martin Jansen van Vuuren, Futureneer Advisors
Future phases of this research will provide detailed insights to strengthen trade partnerships and sharpen marketing efforts. Most importantly, we’ll track how tourism growth directly benefits local businesses, ensuring Stellenbosch’s tourism success delivers meaningful economic benefits that reach every corner of our valley.
“This study is a mandate to deliver outcomes that count: more jobs sustained, more SME revenue retained locally, smoother shoulder seasons and visible inclusion in terms of who benefits. The next wave of growth will be unlocked by domestic demand, access and inclusion, aligned with provincial and national priorities.”
– Michael Ratcliffe, Chairman of Visit Stellenbosch
Note: These figures were derived using robust methodologies based on national and regional datasets including data from Statistics South Africa, South African Tourism and Cape Winelands Accommodation Performance Review & Forecast Report. Visitor estimates were calculated based on Stellenbosch’s known share of overnight and day trip visits to the Western Cape, while economic and employment contributions were modelled using standard multipliers.
Media Contact: roland@bigambitions.co.za or madalene@bigambitions.co.za
For more information about Visit Stellenbosch, visit https://www.visitstellenbosch.org/
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