Travel is heading towards some sort of “normal”. Cape Town, for example, has seen many visitors over the holiday season, with better numbers than pre-pandemic.
There are a lot of factors that influence how, when, and where we travel.
Here’s a look at what we are currently experiencing in the tourism industry, and trends we anticipate for the new year.
Travel with meaning
People are opting for longer and more meaningful trips. We’ve been held back during the pandemic, and choosing to travel more has become a priority for many.
Tourists, both local and international, are seeking accommodation with a more local identity, mirroring the chosen destination of the guests. Longer stays have become a popular trend as digital nomads extend vacations into “bleisure” travel and combine working remotely with a holiday.
Anton Gillis, CEO of Kruger Gate Hotel, said: “Guests are looking for authenticity in their holiday experiences, including evidence of sustainable tourism, and ecologically sound practices by hospitality practitioners.’’
In addition, they want to immerse themselves in the local culture and first-hand encounters with people and wildlife.
Everything, everywhere is more expensive
Across the world, the cost of living has increased tremendously as a result of inflation, rising interest rates, fears of a recession, and supply chain interruptions as a result of the Ukraine–Russia war.
The result for consumers is, of course, that travel is more expensive - if not unaffordable - while service providers, most notably the airline industry, have been forced to increase their costs.
Younger guests plus multi-generational groups
The younger generation no longer feels the need to “wait on” anyone to make the moves. For example, Kruger Gate specifically has seen a shift from an older clientele to a much younger cohort of travellers.
Overall, however, there are many more multi-generational groups, such as families travelling and celebrating being together as they try to spend more quality time with older members of the family.
Gillis says this is why accommodation and activities must be flexible, providing for young families, the elderly and everyone in between.
Floods in KZN
KwaZulu-Natal has long been a favourite for local and international travellers alike. The adverse weather conditions that lead to widespread floods in 2022 caused extreme damage to the international airport and holiday homes, while prolonging beach closures into the current holiday season.
‘’The result of this was two-fold,’’ says Gillis. ‘’The one hand, the region has seen lower visitor numbers, many people who would have travelled there are now looking for alternate destinations. Taking advantage of the wonderful summer weather, many are choosing the great outdoors for a safari experience instead.’’
Airline news
South Africa lost 40% of its flight capacity due to some airlines closing down, and the remaining airlines – FlySafair, LIFT, CemAir, Airlink and SAA – do not have the capacity to meet demand. However, Delta Airlines, Air Belgium, Qantas, United, Eurowings and more have launched direct flights to and from South Africa.
Shorter lead-in times
The hospitality sector is also seeing much shorter lead-in times for bookings, with a greater degree of spontaneity by travellers.
Although online booking is considered easier, travellers are reverting to the expertise of travel consultants to source countries, resorts or cities and properties that meet their holiday criteria needs.
‘’Judging by the trends we are seeing, we are hopeful that 2023 will be better,’’ Gillis says.