Tackling travellers' lacklustre attitude
DESPITE international tourism into
South Africa showing healthy
growth for the first quarter of
2016, the number of domestic holiday
trips taken by South Africans was
down 17% when compared with the
same period last year.
“We don’t have a culture of travel
in South Africa,” says Margie
Whitehouse, chief marketing officer
of SA Tourism. She says the country’s
apartheid history is one of the major
reasons why South Africans are
hesitant to travel locally.
“We are just finishing new research
into the domestic market and have
found that, if you look at the bucket
list of top travel destinations for
today’s millennials, not a single one
of the places they want to travel to
is local,” she says. “They are all
international and the reasons for
this stem deeply from our apartheid
history when it was terrifying to travel
in SA.” She says cross-cultural issues
have also exacerbated many South
Africans’ unwillingness to travel within
their own country.
Margie says that, currently, just
29% of South Africa’s tourism
income comes from domestic
travel, but in other countries with a
healthy domestic market, like Brazil,
China, India, the US and France, it
contributes as much as 60% of the
country’s tourism income.
Marketing issues
One challenge is that there is a
perception that overseas travel is
more aspirational than local travel.
She says this couldn’t be further from
the truth, with South Africa being
home to some of the most soughtafter,
luxury experiences in the world.
While there is a problem with the
way in which marketers message,
there is also an issue where the
trade prioritises markets with dollar
and euro spend, says Margie.
“We have a massive job to do
throughout SA to really create a
culture of domestic travel and our
research has shown that affordability
is the biggest issue.” Another big
problem is lack of information, says
Margie, adding that people tend to
travel to the same places over and
over again instead of trying out new
options. “We need to deliver exciting
content that provides them with
inspiration in terms of what they
can do when travelling to various
destinations.”
Bleisure trips
However, some of the most exciting
opportunities for agents to generate
local travel business comes from
existing markets, including those
travelling to visit friends and relatives
(VFR), which accounts
for a significant portion
of SA’s domestic travel.
Another lucrative
opportunity may
stem from convincing
corporates to add
on a few holidays to
their local business
trips. To drive this, SA
Tourism, in partnership
with Asata, recently
launched a pilot project
to encourage business
travellers to incorporate
a leisure component
into their corporate
trips, also known as
‘bleisure’.
Business travellers were invited
to select from a range of specially
created bleisure experiences and
affordable deals offered by various
Asata members who received training
on the various packages. It formed
part of SA Tourism’s domestic
marketing strategy under the
campaign ‘A Million New Experiences
are a Sho’t Left Away’ to promote a
culture of travel in South Africa.
Over 1 000 corporates in various
industries, including banking,
telecommunications, as well as
government, were exposed to
domestic travel destinations through
the campaign. Asata
gm, Kim Koen, says
successful activations
were run across three
blue-chip companies in
SA, with an additional
17 scheduled before
the end of the year.
“Incorporating
stunning visuals of
South Africa’s travel
destinations and a
beautiful brochure with
a range of specially
selected packages,
our activation booths
have been set up in
busy public spaces
and experienced consultants are on
hand to assist travellers with their
local holiday enquiries and needs,”
says Kim.
Annelize Arthur, business manager
HRG Rennies Travel, which was
involved in the pilot project, says
business travellers have expressed
particular interest in the Kruger
National Park, Cape Town, Sun City
and Limpopo province for game-drive
experiences. “This domestic travel
initiative has been a great way to
share the local holiday experiences
on offer and break the perception
that domestic breaks are expensive,”
says Annelize.
Four top Festivals for locals in 2017
1. Cape Town International
Jazz Festival: March 31-April 1
The award-winning annual Cape Town
International Jazz Festival continues
to grow in popularity. Dubbed ‘Africa’s
Grandest Gathering’ by organisers,
the 18th edition will take place at the
Cape Town International Convention
Centre. In 2016, the festival attracted
almost 40 000 jazz fans, who came
to hear local and international icons
in the music industry. Showcasing
home-grown talent is a key priority for
the organisers, and attendees of the
Cape Town International Jazz Festival
can expect an exciting line-up. Tickets
are expected to go on sale in October
through Computicket.
2. The Joburg Shopping
Festival: July/August
Known as the retail hub of Africa,
Gauteng hosts an annual shopping
festival, where various popular
shopping malls across the province
offer huge sales over a 13-day period.
The Gauteng Tourism Authority,
which is one of the partners of the
event, says it was initially inspired
by the well-known Dubai Shopping
Festival, and aims to profile the city
and province as a convenient and
budget-friendly shopping destination.
Nonnie Kubeka, head of the Gauteng
Conventions and Events Bureau,
says: “The Joburg Shopping Festival
supports not only the tourism
sector, but also retail, design and
manufacturing.”
3. Grahamstown National Arts
Festival: June 29-July 9
The festival is one of the most
popular on the South African cultural
calendar, and runs every year for 11
days in Grahamstown in the Eastern
Cape, 130km from Port Elizabeth.
Comprising a main and fringe
programme, the festival
includes drama, dance, physical
theatre, comedy, opera, music,
jazz, visual art exhibitions,
film, student theatre, street
theatre, lectures, a craft fair,
workshops and a children’s
arts festival. It is known for its
bold and experimental ethos,
and performances are selected
by a committee of experts in
order to ensure every year’s
programme is varied and
exciting.
4. Klein Karoo Nasionale
Kunstefees (KKNK):
April 8-15
The Klein Karoo festival
celebrates Afrikaans culture
through the arts and takes
place in Oudtshoorn in the
Western Cape every year. The
23rd edition is set to take
place in April next year and
will once again transform
the streets of this usually
sleepy Karoo town with art
displays, theatre and musical
performances. Tickets for
individual events are sold
separately and are largely
available through Computicket.
Four great domestic deals on offer
1. Bush break
Club Travel is offering a special
three-night package (land only)
for Black Rhino Game Lodge in a
private section of the Pilanesberg
Game Reserve. Rates start
from R5 760pp for three nights’
accommodation at the four-star
lodge, including breakfast, lunch
and dinner daily and two game
drives per day. The rate excludes
transfers, beverages and gate entry
of R80pppn, paid upon entry. The
special is valid from September 1-
December 14, 2016.
2. Festive season treat
From R3 650pp, South Africans can
enjoy four days and three nights
exploring Mkuze in KZN’s Zululand
area during the festive season.
The rate includes three nights’
accommodation at the four-star
Ghost Mountain Inn, dinner and
breakfast, a boat cruise on Lake
Jozini, an Mkuze game drive with a
picnic lunch prior to departure and
a R200 spa gift voucher. Kids stay
free when sharing with two adults in
selected family rooms. The special
is offered through Ghost Mountain
Inn and is valid between December
2016 and January 2017.
3. Cape Town getaway
Travellers from Johannesburg,
Durban, or even those living in Cape
Town but in need of a break from
routine can stay for two nights at
the Camps Bay Retreat. Packages
include return flights, inclusive of
estimated taxes, and three days’
car hire (for pax from JNB and
DUR), daily breakfast and a bonus
of a free dinner and R100 voucher
towards a spa treatment or drinks.
Rates start from R6 270pps
ex-Johannesburg, R6 570pps
departing Durban and R3 640pps
from Cape Town. Valid from October
1-December 14, 2016.
4. Horse-riding adventure
Legend Hospitality Group is offering
an eight-day horse-riding package
at Entabeni Safari Conservancy.
The package is best suited to
experienced riders and includes
two nights’ accommodation at
one of Entabeni’s lodges, before
heading out to a luxury fly camp
for four nights and then returning
to the lodge for the final night.
Rates start from R5 990pps and
include all meals, snacks, tea and
coffee, game drive on arrival, as
well as alcoholic and non-alcoholic
beverages at the fly camp and
horse-riding activities. Valid until
October 31 for set departures.
