Cape Argus E-dition

6 signs that SA’s travel and tourism sector is recovering

BERNELEE VOLLMER bernelee.vollmer@inl.co.za

THE tourism and hospitality industry is showing strong signs of recovery, after two years of turmoil. There are a number of key indicators that it’s only getting better as the year goes on.

More flights to South Africa Lufthansa recently added a direct route from Frankfurt to the Kruger National Park. Other new direct routes include year-round flights between Cape Town and New York on United Airlines, with a possible Washington route coming towards the end of the year. And, just recently, Richard Branson announced that there will be daily routes between Cape Town and London on Virgin Atlantic.

Zambia Airways will start direct flights to South Africa in under a month, and Air Côte d’Ivoire recently announced that it will launch a Johannesburg-Abidjan through Kinshasa route, at the end of June 2022.

More bums in hotel beds

Stats SA recently revealed an 88% increase in income across the accommodation sector in March this year, compared to last year. Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront, as an example, has been exceptionally busy over the last few months. And, recently, a Raddison Blu Hotel opened in Durban.

Airbnb is focusing on new regions

Airbnb recently announced the expansion of the Airbnb Entrepreneurship Academy to the Waterberg region, in support of the president’s District

Development Model – a pilot project designed to bring together government and private partners, to tackle poverty, inequality and unemployment.

More South Africans are looking to travel

As South Africa heads into the core of its winter season, and the school holidays draw near, flight searches are on the rise, with South Africans hunting for their mid-year holiday destinations.

Local brands are making bold moves

Marriott International and Platinum Hospitality Holdings have mutually agreed that the Protea Hotel by Marriott Kruger Gate will no longer be part of the Marriott International portfolio, following the expiry of its

current management contract, which ends on August 31, 2022. From September 1 the management of the hotel will be transferred to Platinum Hospitality Holdings, a South African hotel asset investment and administration company. The hotel will trade under the name of Kruger Gate Hotel.

Increased demand for day experiences

The tourism sector is seeing a growth in the demand for day experiences, meaning people now want to go to destinations and enjoy day-time activities, without having to sleep there. Head of marketing at online booking platform Jurni, Tshepo Matlou says hiking has become a popular activity among travellers in the country.

TRAVEL

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2022-06-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-06-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

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