Tourism proved that it is the South African economy's "new gold" by posting a record 1 795 989 foreign arrivals between January and March 2005, up 10% on the same period in 2004.

Addressing members of the media at a briefing in Johannesburg on Thursday, South African Tourism CEO Moeketsi Mosola said this marked "the highest number of first-quarter arrivals ever recorded in the history of the country's tourist statistics.

"We are equally encouraged by the fact that for the third consecutive year the industry has enjoyed strong growth, averaging 4.9%.

In the Americas, the growth trend of the past two years out of the United States continued, with an increase of 13.8% in the first quarter of 2005 and a compound average growth rate since 2002 of just under 7%.

South Africa's overall 3.5% growth out of Europe was aided by a significant growth out of Germany and the United Kingdom, the country's two leading overseas markets. Italy and the Netherlands maintained their positions, while France continued to be a "challenging" market which was "receiving attention to turn the situation around".

From Asia, while there was growth out of Australia, Japan and India, China showed a decline for the first time since the Sars epidemic of 2003.

(source: southafrica.info / 16 september)

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