Local Travel to Further Revitalise Tourism Industry these Holidays
In 2022, a year marked by rising inflation, fuel shortages, and high flight prices, Mzansi’s holidaymakers are choosing local travel for the second year in a row.
15/11/2022
Local travellers were the heroes for
South Africa’s struggling tourism industry as
travel began to fully reopen at the end of last
year. This year, a year marked by rising
inflation, fuel shortages, and high flight
prices, Mzansi’s holidaymakers are choosing
local travel for the second year in a row.
South Africans are spoiled for choice with
the sheer variety of landscapes, climate
variations, activities, and vacation spots on
offer across the country. While options include
choices such as the Karoo, the mountainous Great
Drakensberg, and Gauteng city lights, many are
choosing to go coastal, with a big portion of
these travellers setting their sights towards
the Mother City.
"Responsible tourism has
taken on an entirely new emphasis as South
African travellers turn their attention to the
most effective ways to enable their own economy
to further recover from the fallout of the
global COVID-19 pandemic," notes Clinton Thom,
General Manager at Radisson Blu Hotel
Waterfront. "There has been a great shift among
travellers to first think local before they
decide to spend their hard-earned money in other
parts of the world."
Some hotels in Cape
Town are already reporting a bumper season, with
holiday bookings across the city rapidly filling
up for the year-end period. In a recent
Conversation article looking at tourism trends,
over 40% of travellers reported choosing local
travel for holidays, while 36.9% reported
planning to travel locally this year to visit
friends and family.
Cape Town's extensive coastline, which is home to world-famous blue flag beaches like Camps Bay and Clifton, is a draw for coastal cities like Cape Town.
With
more than five magnificent national parks,
including Table Mountain, Wilderness, Bontebok,
West Coast, and others, the Western Cape region
is a nature lover's paradise.
The tourism
sector is seeing a growth in demand for day
experiences, meaning people now want to go to
destinations and enjoy daytime activities
without having to stay overnight.
Hiking is a a popular activity among travellers in the country. The reason is that the pandemic locked them in for a long time, and since they are now free to move freely, they chose open spaces.
"The travel sector is starting to see a
large number of first-timers signing up and
trying new destinations. Travellers get the
health benefits of doing outdoor activities,
which is commendable," he adds.
As local
tourism is supported, so are those who work in
the industry and have struggled the past few
years. On offer to tourists to the Western Cape
this season are a host of new
restaurants,ranging from local, street food and
even Michelin starred.
"Irrespective of
how far travellers will now venture in their own
country, however, as a result of the rising
costs of goods, they will be seeking both value
for money and enticing experiences," notes Thom.
"Those operators who can offer the full package
will be first choices, leading the way and being
the first to ensure their own survival."
Upnup’s Ricki Allardice comments that
"ultimately, holidays should be something we
look forward to, rather than another anxiety
point in our already stressful lives. Remember
that sensible saving habits can go a long way
toward ensuring that’s the case."
"For
example, for those of us looking to plan for
international or big local family holidays a few
years into the future, perhaps combining the
approach of saving with innovation and
technology could help us. Opting to stay local
these holidays and continuing to save for an
out-of-country trip in the future meant that you
did not have to compromise on your next
holiday," says Allardice.
For all local tourists embracing South Africa as their destination of choice, know that your decision is working towards something we South Africans have become very good at: stimulating a sense of national pride in what we have, and in what we can achieve when we get behind a common goal.
Upnup’s app
allows users to save small amounts of bitcoin
every time they make a purchase. Accumulating
these fragments over a long period of time can
really boost holiday savings. The key thing to
keep in mind is that you need to take a
long-term approach with Bitcoin.
Thom
concludes: "For all local tourists embracing
South Africa as their destination of choice,
know that your decision is working towards
something we South Africans have become very
good at: stimulating a sense of national pride
in what we have, and in what we can achieve when
we get behind a common goal. "That goal, now, is
the continued recovery of our local tourism
industry."
