Call it revenge travel. Call it bucket-list travel. Call it what you like, but the folks at South African Tourism are pleased to see more Canadians heading their way.
Representatives from South Africa’s New York City tourism office jetted north of the border this week to talk with the travel media about the amazing variety of things to see and do in a country that offers a truly unique travel experience. They also presented some unusual video footage, including amusing bits from South Africa TV host Trevor Noah and action shots of rhinos mating on a grassy South African plain.
Now, that’s how you get the media’s attention.
Justin Barnette, the highly entertaining head of Marketing and Communications North America for South African Tourism, said the team wanted to come to Toronto “because there’s so much energy and enthusiasm for South Africa in Canada.”
Visits from Canada were up 55% last year versus 2022, he said.
“Canada is now into the top 10 foreign markets for South Africa,” he said. “The UK is number one and the U.S. is number two, but Canada is a very strong eighth.”
That’s despite the fact there is no direct airlift from Canada to South Africa. Barnette said he’d love to see Air Canada give it a try, or perhaps South African Airways. For now, visitors from Canada can connect via London or other European airports, or through the U.S. via United and Delta, which offer direct flights to both Johannesburg and Cape Town from EWR and ATL.
Barnette said South Africa visitation last year was at 83% of pre-pandemic levels, and that officials anticipate a return to pre-Covid numbers this year.
There is, of course, a strong role for travel advisors to play to help make that happen.
“We work closely with the trade and our tour operators,” Barnette said. “We put on seminars, and we work to keep prices down and to showcase the country.”
South Africa Tourism also has an agent specialist program so advisors can dig deeper into the destination and sell it more easily.
South Africa’s hotel stock is continually improving, and getting new additions. Top new hotels include the Radisson Safari Hotel Hoedspruit and the Pullman Cape Town City Centre, the first Accor Pullman Hotels and Resorts property in South Africa. Lepogo Lodges in the Lapalala Wilderness will open Melote House this year, a not-for-profit lodge in the Limpopo reserve.
Barnette said South African tourism might soon add a new public relations agency in Canada, “so stay tuned.”
“There are so many things that are out of the ordinary in South Africa,” he told a lunch gathering in Toronto on 27MAR. “There’s restorative nature, as well as many things that have a real wow factor.
“It’s not just interesting lakes and theme parks,” he said. “People today want meaningful and transformative experiences.”
Culture is a major part of the South African tourism push, including top fashion designers who are winning awards and opening pop-up shops in New York City, and also popular music. Barnette noted that the most recent Grammy Awards saw South African artist Tyla take home the hardware for Best African Musical Performance. He also talked about a musical genre in South Africa called amapiano.
“It’s very upbeat, he said with a broad smile. “It’s now. It’s tikking. It’s tokking.”
South Africa this year is celebrating 30 years of democracy, and there are 27 tourism experiences in the country that let visitors explore the remarkable life of Nelson Mandela, the first elected president of South Africa.
Judy Pilllay, Head of Stakeholder Relations North America for South African Tourism, said South Africa is famous for its cultural mix, including peoples from Europe, Africa and India, as well as Malaysia and Indonesia. That makes for not only great art, but fabulous food; Indian curries, Portuguese-style chicken or fish, Malay/Indonesian sweets, and South African game.
This year also marks the 365th anniversary of wine production in South Africa.
Barnette said one of the great advantages of a trip to South Africa is the wide variety of things to do in a relatively small space; everything from urban visits to Cape Town, scenic coastal drives along magnificent mountain ranges, and luxury safaris where you can see “The Big Five” in the morning and get a relaxing massage in the afternoon.
He didn’t mention it, but one of the highlights of my trip a few years ago was a visit to see the tiny penguins rolling in the surf and waddling along the shore at Boulders Beach, a short drive from Cape Town.
You can also zipline through the jungle canopy, take a jump off the world’s highest bungee-jumping bridge, or go cage-diving with great white sharks “if you want to be sure your heart is working properly.”
“Canadians love our outdoors and scenic beauty,” Barnette said. “Table Mountain in Cape town is one of the seven modern wonders of nature. When you’re on top you feel like a Greek god on Mount Olympus.”
One of the great attractions in Cape Town is Robbin Island, where Mandela was imprisoned for many years. Barnette said former prisoners take visitors on tours and tell them what life was really like for them in jail.
“Of course we still have challenges in South Africa, but we’re tackling them head on,” he said.
