Over 645,000 Travelers Cross Through Beitbridge Border Post as South Africa Sees Significant Increase in Festive Season Traffic

A Surge in Cross-Border Travel Over the Festive Season

The 2024 holiday season saw a noticeable spike in travelers, with a total of 645,590 people passing through the Beitbridge Border Post.

This busy crossing highlighted the increased movement across borders during this time, according to the Border Management Authority (BMA) of South Africa.

Record-Breaking Numbers Across South Africa’s Ports of Entry

The BMA reported a significant rise in the number of travelers at various points of entry compared to last year, with Beitbridge and OR Tambo International Airport seeing the highest volumes.

This surge reflected the growing trend of cross-border travel during the festive period.

Beitbridge: South Africa’s Busiest Border

Beitbridge, the busiest inland border post in South Africa, usually handles about 15,000 crossings daily during off-peak times.

However, this figure nearly tripled as people from neighboring countries like Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, Angola, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo crossed over to celebrate the season.

Overview of Festive Season Travel Trends

In total, 5,084,251 travelers passed through South Africa’s 71 border posts over the festive season. This marked an increase of 51,680 people from the previous year.

While the numbers were up, they were still lower than pre-pandemic levels, which saw close to six million travelers during the same period.

At the top of the list for busiest entry points was OR Tambo International Airport, with 1,065,636 travelers, followed by Beitbridge with 645,590 and Lebombo, which connects South Africa to Mozambique, with 571,131 crossings.

Beitbridge’s Vehicle and Cargo Traffic

The Beitbridge Border Post also handled an impressive number of vehicles over the festive season, including 395,189 private cars, 12,974 minibus taxis, and 6,071 buses.

This busy period highlighted the importance of having effective systems in place to manage the flow of traffic, ensuring smooth passage for travelers.

Additionally, a total of 58,938 trucks crossed Beitbridge, with 47,891 carrying exports and 11,047 imports.

Beitbridge processed the highest number of import trucks, reaching 5,521, while Lebombo led in exports with 18,544 trucks passing through.

Your Thoughts?

What do you think of these travel statistics?

This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!

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