Domestic Travel seeing exceptional growth


Statistics from South African Tourism show growth in the domestic market in the first four months of the year. SA Tourism said there was exceptional growth from January to April when compared to the same period last year. Domestic holiday trips rose by 59.7%

“SA Tourism has been focusing on marketing campaigns that entice South Africans to travel their country,” said acting chief executive Sthembiso Dlamini. “We are noting the impact of our marketing efforts. In Q1 (January to March) 2019, 18.4% of South Africans mentioned not having a reason to travel, an improvement from 20.5% in 2018.”

Overall, domestic trips grew by 11% during January to April. “We analysed the international travel environment and are putting measures in place to support the growth of the local tourism industry,” Dlamini said.

The Vacation Ownership Association of South Africa (VOASA) said it was encouraged by President Cyril Ramaphosa’s commitment during his State of the Nation Address last month to more than double international tourist arrivals.

“The shared vacation ownership and timeshare industry is a significant contributor to the health, performance and diversity of South Africa’s tourism mix and ecosystem as it enables local and international holidaymakers to take regular vacations in our country, while boosting our economy,” said chief operating officer, Alex Bosch.

The timeshare industry has a significant footprint in the domestic tourism market with 158 resorts and an 85% occupancy rate.