This is how South Africans want to travel in 2025
A total of 85% of local travellers said they are braver on holiday, the highest among all markets surveyed. The trend is particularly strong among younger travellers, with 87% of 18- to 24-year-olds and 91% of 25- to 34-year-olds expressing a willingness to try new and exciting things.
Popular activities include: climbing high structures (56%);
participating in high-octane activities such as zip-lining, skydiving and theme park rides (54%); and
trying unusual foods (45%).
Another rising trend are 'heritage holidays', where travellers explore their family's heritage, history or ancestry. A total of 75% of South Africans have taken or plan to take a heritage holiday soon. The trend is more prevalent among younger generations, with 77% of 18- to 24-year-olds and 88% of 25- to 34-year-olds having taken a heritage holiday or planning to, compared to 42% of those aged 65 and above.
Key motivations include the desire to understand where their family comes from and what their life was like (64%) and to see where their ancestors lived (53%).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald
a day ago
- The Herald
Ongoing sewage spills flagged as threat to Bay tourism
Ward 2 councillor Sean Tappan said a section of the 600mm underground burst pipe has been identified in the harbour. 'This is why the sewage spill occurred in the parking lot of Kings Beach. 'If there's a power failure in the Roedolf pump station, it goes off because there is a backup generator but no automatic system to switch it back on when the power comes back on.' The sewage spill in the Cape Recife nature reserve, which flows to the beach, also covers a section of the road in the conservancy where tourists and locals walk, run and hike. However, this experience has been lessened by the stench from the sewage, which also affects businesses in the area. Pine Lodge operations manager Warren Wakeford said at times it was significantly worse. 'When the wind blows in a certain direction, the whole lodge would smell. 'It can be quite brutal, and guests would call asking about what's going on. 'Others think it's an in-house problem and we always have to clarify,' Wakeford said. 'From a tourist point of view, it's difficult to quantify what we could be potentially losing and how many people don't visit because of this issue, but I'm pretty sure there's an impact. Ziggy's Rock & Reggae Bar manager Jaco Rossouw said the smell resulted in bad reviews online. 'They are talking about how bad their experience was with us because of the smell. 'The landlord has spoken to the councillor before, and he's helped over the years, but it always seems to be a temporary repair because it's been more than two years of the same thing, from what I can remember. 'Locals who walk and hike in this area always complain about the stench and having to jump over the pool of smelly water, which isn't always safe. 'This is a huge tourism issue, coupled with the fact that there's no street light from the beacon up to here. 'This is where all the holidaymakers stay, and the sewage spills are not a great image of our city. And with the summer season coming, the smell will get worse.' For the Love of Nature, an organisation that has planned a fun run to raise funds for the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (Sanccob) in Cape Recife on Sunday, also raised concerns about the issue. For the Love of Nature founder Mario Sophocleous said it was a family event that would be affected. 'We expect people with babies in prams and possibly people in wheelchairs who won't be able to pass the sewage puddle, because it's quite big. 'Driving through is one thing, but people usually come here to walk. 'If I were a father to a baby in a pram, I would not participate.' Sanccob centre manager Carl Havemann said t he sewage smell affected the public's enjoyment when visiting the centre. 'Especially when the winds come from the treatment plant side and impact any beach events we organise. 'All our penguins are released back onto Bird Island, so they are not affected by the spill.' Effluent, believed to be from a nearby settling pond, flows towards the beach, with a wide stretch along the sewage stream overgrown by reeds and invasive vegetation. It comes from the wastewater treatment plant located in the Cape Recife Conservancy. In mid-December, Brighton Beach had to be closed after test results revealed alarmingly high contamination levels due to discharges from the plant. In June, municipal spokesperson Sithembiso Soyaya said the time frame for reopening was the end of the month. He failed to respond to questions on Thursday. The Herald
IOL News
5 days ago
- IOL News
Kenya ramps up tourism push as wildebeest migration begins
A herd of wildebeest in Kenya. Image: VCG Kenyan President William Ruto said on Thursday that the government will intensify a campaign to boost tourist numbers in the country. Ruto, who opened the 2025 Great Wildebeest Migration global livestream at the world-famous Masai Mara National Reserve in southwestern Kenya, said the campaign aims to attract 5 million foreign tourists by 2027. "We are focused on tourism that enriches both the visitor and the host, and transforms travelers into ambassadors for Kenya, a country proud of its wild beauty, conservation achievements and unbreakable spirit," he said. Kenya's Tourism & Wildlife CS Rebecca Miano speaks on the wildebeest migration, tourism growth In this exclusive interview, CGTN reporter @mariongachuhi_ speaks with Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife, Rebecca Miano, about the impact of the Great wildebeest… — CGTN Africa (@cgtnafrica) July 27, 2025 Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ The president, who urged domestic and international tourists to take advantage of the country's attractions, said the campaign seeks to promote Kenya as the home of human origins and a top travel destination for innovation, sports, conference tourism, adventure, wildlife, culture and beach holidays. Kenya's international tourist arrivals increased by 15 percent to 2.4 million in 2024, up from 2.09 million in 2023, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife. Inbound tourism earnings rose to 452.20 billion shillings (about $3.5 billion) from $2.92 billion in 2023. Ruto said Masai Mara, which welcomes more than 400,000 visitors annually, is the crown jewel of Kenya's tourism offerings. "Sustainable tourism is a living reality in Masai Mara, where communities thrive, ecosystems flourish and travelers leave enthralled." The Great Wildebeest Migration is the annual movement of millions of wildebeest, zebras and other herbivores from the Serengeti in Tanzania to Masai Mara in Kenya, primarily between July and October. A Nile crocodile ambushes wildebeest in the Mara River, Kenya. Image: VCG A Nile crocodile ambushes wildebeest in the Mara River, Kenya. /VCG The largest herd movement of animals on the planet, which is visible from space, is driven by the search for fresh grazing land and water following seasonal rains. The dramatic river crossings of the Mara River, where wildebeest face predators like crocodiles, are widely regarded as the highlight of this spectacular wildlife event. Ruto said Kenya's efforts to protect biodiversity, restore habitats and involve communities in stewardship have made Masai Mara not only a wildlife haven, but also a global symbol of sustainability. "To all watching around the world, I invite you to explore our treasures from the thundering hooves of Masai Mara to the calm shores of our coast, from snow-capped peaks to sunlit savannahs," he said. CGTN / Xinhua
Daily Maverick
24-07-2025
- Daily Maverick
Let peace creep into your soul — day drives in and around Richmond
Discover Richmond, the 'Book Town' and explore a place where art, literature and Northern Cape Karoo history intertwine. Richmond in the Northern Cape was once a sleepy little farmers' village where N1 travellers from Johannesburg or Cape Town stopped for refuelling and refreshments before resuming their journeys. Today, Richmond is a town with a constantly evolving social landscape. Now branded as a Booktown, it has seen the arrival of 'semigrants' from urban life, impressive investment in accommodation facilities and the establishment of a huge creative space in the form of the Modern Art Project of South Africa – MAP-SA. Your first day in Richmond is all about a local meander. Most visitors begin on the main street (Loop Street) with the Richmond Horse Museum (the only other one in existence is based in Kentucky, US), where curator Johan Tolken is only too pleased to provide an insightful tour of the wagons, saddles, histories and South African War artefacts. Then we go right next door to Richmond Books, Art and Photography, a converted house and courtyard full of literary tomes covering a variety of local and international subjects, in fiction and non-fiction forms. Karoo Creations, also on Loop Street, is where you'll pick up a selection of fine woollen duvets for cold winter nights. Lunch can be taken in the shady courtyard of Die Vetmuis Restaurant on the main street. After a brief rest out of the hot Karoo sun, we visit the MAP Gallery down the road and wander around the huge displays of South African contemporary art. The next morning we're off to Hanover, about 65km north of Richmond. We're leaving well before dawn, so that we can ascend the little hill (Trappieskoppie), watch the sun rise over the vast Karoo landscape and, if it's summertime and we're lucky, see thousands of Lesser Kestrels flying off in all directions for a day of feeding. After a late breakfast at the Hanover Lodge Hotel, we'll visit the Hanover Museum on Viljoen Street for a deep dive into the town's history. And then it's on to a tour of the magnificent Dutch Reformed Church across the road. Before the era of electricity the church chandeliers were powered by methane gas sourced from sheep dung. The day ends back in Richmond at the Saddles Bar, an atmospheric local drinking spot that keeps to the Karoo Equine theme of the region. And yes, the barstools are actually saddles. We leave Richmond as the first morning rays begin to tickle the steeple of the Moederkerk on the main road, and we drive west on dirt roads, following the signs to De Aar and Merriman. Today, we are going to look at what's left of Deelfontein, once a railside settlement during the South African War that bustled with the cacophony of military matters: troop trains leaving, hospital trains arriving, mounted regiments passing through with news from afar, daily traffic in the massive tent city and the occasional outflow of celebration from the officers' mess. In its time, it was said to have been the largest military field hospital in the southern hemisphere. At the height of its one-year existence as the Imperial Yeomanry Hospital, Deelfontein had 800 patients and 200 staff. Nearby stands the portico of The Yeomanry, a once-classic Karoo hotel that was inspired by the Lord Milner Hotel in Matjiesfontein, Western Cape. Know before you go Take your time meandering around Richmond and surrounds. The longer you stay, the more peace creeps into your soul. If you'd like to have a look inside the impressive church, ask for the verger ('koster'). In the restaurants the food is good and the portions generous. Visit all the bookshops and the antique shops, and remember that some establishments close over lunch. DM For an insider's view on life in the South African Heartland, get the Karoo Quartet set of books (Karoo Roads I-IV with black and white photographs) for only R960, including taxes and courier costs in South Africa. For more details, contact Julie at
