South Africa eyes affordable tourism to grow market

South Africa eyes affordable tourism to grow market
Edited by Travel Weekly


    Australian tourists feeling the pinch from the cost-of-living crisis, might find an unlikely ally in South African Tourism in the future according to a panel at Africa’s Travel Indaba (ATI).

    With six out of ten young Africans failing to explore their own continent, despite constituting the largest demographic within the 1.3 billion-strong African population, the youth remain significantly underrepresented in intracontinental travel.

    With reasons varying from accessibility to affordability, CMO of SA Tourism Thembisile Sehloho asked the question: Is marketing positioning travel as intimidating, luxurious and too expensive – and what can we do to change this?

    The panel agreed that we are dealing with a new generation of youth, and social media and paid media is the key to connecting with this market. Gen Z in particular is looking for content that means something, and as a sector travel needs to be more intentional about the content it puts out. While trends can inform content, it’s essential to be part of the trend and speak to the particular audience’s real travel needs.

    The panel said that while it’s important to ensure Africa’s offerings are on par with international tourism products, it must never forget its uniqueness.

    At the same time, ATI also hosted South Africa’s Tourism Investment Seminar since Covid 19. The seminar explored how government investment could in turn encourage private sector investment.

    Addressing the seminar, the Deputy Minister for Tourism Fish Mahlalela used the example of how his government’s investment of R120 ($10) million into upgrading facilities around Kruger National Park lead to a private sector investment of $80 million in the area including low cost accommodation.

    So potentially a more affordable South African holiday is just around the corner.

    By David Hovenden at ATI 2024. 

    Latest News

    • Aviation

    Low-cost Indian carrier SpiceJet continues to burn cash

    It’s not just low-cost Australian carriers that are facing hardship. SpiceJet, India’s version of Bonza, recently announced a 72 per cent reduction in its net loss versus last year. But, despite this improvement, the airline has posted losses for six straight years. But it has secured board approval to raise up to INR 30 billion […]

    • Attractions

    SAKA Museum recognised in TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places 2024

    AYANA Resort Bali’s newly-opened cultural and events centre, SAKA Museum has been recognised in TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places list for 2024. Part of AYANA Bali’s resort destination, the museum integrates Bali’s rich history with state-of-the-art facilities, making it the centrepiece for the island’s spiritual and cultural heritage. TIME magazine’s inclusion of SAKA Museum in […]

    • Cruise

    Silversea taps Barbara Biffi as senior vice president for global sales

    Ultra-luxury and expedition cruise travel brand, Silverseas, has announced Barbara Biffi as its new senior vice president of global sales. Biffi joined the company in 2007, holding numerous positions and gaining a deep understanding of the brand, the preferences of its guests and its strategic goals, the company said. An Italian national with a wealth […]

    • Technology
    • Travel Agents

    Amadeus welcomes FCM Travel as new reseller partner of Cytric Easy

    Cytric Easy, the travel management tool embedded in Microsoft Teams, is to be integrated into FCM Travel portfolio. Amadeus and FCM Travel have extended their Cytric distribution agreement to include Cytric Easy. With this new agreement, global travel management company FCM Travel, becomes a reseller of the innovative travel management collaboration solution embedded into Microsoft […]