NEWS & TRENDS
CRUNCH THE
NUMBERS 10.3m
people took holidays in South Africa in 2017, with 1,162,000 visiting the nation’s busiest attraction, the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town
TRENDS What persuades holidaymakers to choose South Africa?
South African Tourism sought to find out more about why travellers pick destinations. An online panel survey, following up on previous focus groups, looked at priorities, influences and concerns when booking a long-haul holiday. They asked 102 young ABC1 adults (aged 25 to 34) and 305 older ABC1 adults (aged 35-64) from the UK and Ireland for their thoughts.
What do long-haul travellers hope to get out of their holiday? This group was made up of people who were planning a long-haul holiday within a year. Over 84% said they took this kind of trip at least once a year. The survey revealed their main reasons for going on holiday were to discover something new and enjoy good food. This was particularly the case among younger adults, who were also keen to get away from the grind of daily life.
How do they decide where to go? Friends and family hold the most influence for young adults, followed by travel TV programmes, booking websites and films. Among older adults, particularly women, travel TV really strikes a chord, with 75% of the group saying programmes have at least some bearing on their choice. Across all age groups, the research found that news articles are significantly more influential than adverts or blogs.
What about the dangers? Some respondents said they would not consider South Africa for a holiday. Of those, 69% were put off by potential dangers. Even some of those who are keen to visit South Africa believe it to be dangerous and politically unstable, with most basing their opinions on news reports and word-of-mouth stories from South Africans and others. These concerns — along with secondary worries about poverty and infrastructure — are felt by both younger and older age groups.
What’s the best way to reassure travellers about South Africa? Positive news coverage about South Africa is the factor most likely to change the minds of travellers who’d previously discounted visiting South Africa. The group also felt it was very reassuring to hear that most holidaymakers’ visits to South Africa take place without incident, and that the average British visitor rates their experience highly.
Let South Africans tell their own story Most of the group felt that South African people themselves are the best ambassadors for their country. They believe South Africans should be more positive about what it has to offer as a holiday destination.
SOUTHAFRICA .NET
447,901 70%
British and Irish tourists visited, continuing the steady increase since 2015
of British and Irish tourists visited between October and April
14
the amount of nights, on average, British and Irish tourists stayed for
of British and Irish tourists visited more than one province
30% 61%
of British and Irish tourists said that enjoying South Africa’s
scenery was the most positive experience of their holiday
86% of travellers needed special
reassurance when booking a South African holiday, as they were worried about personal dangers
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