Spokesperson Neliswa Nkani, Hub Head – MEISA, South African Tourism gives Nichola Pais a glimpse into South Africa’s lure for Indian tourists
South Africa had targeted 104,000 tourists from India this year. Has the response been positive?
South African Tourism has seen astounding growth from India over the last three years, in fact, we have witnessed a whopping 20% increase in arrival numbers from 2015! The response thus far this year has been positive and we crossed our half-year mark with 50,015 Indian arrivals until June 2018. We expect accelerated growth driven by the attractive exchange rate of the Rand (ZAR) to INR. South Africa is increasingly becoming an appealing proposition for Indian tourists – the favourable exchange rate combined with distinctive wildlife experiences, adrenaline-pumping adventure activities, delectable food and wine, locally inspired art and culture, high-end shopping experiences and untouched natural beauty make for a memorable, value for money vacation! South African Tourism foresees a continued upward trend in spends, length of stay and also the emergence of unexplored newer regions of South Africa on Indian itineraries for 2018.
How would you explain South Africa’s popularity with Indian tourists?
We have witnessed a marked shift towards experiential and adventure travel from Indian travellers travelling to South Africa. In fact, 4 of every 5 Indian travellers include adventure activities in their South African itineraries! The most popular adventure activity amongst Indian travellers is the Bungee Jump from Bloukrans Bridge, the highest commercial bridge bungee jump, to experience the great adrenaline rush as they plunge 216 metres into the stunningly beautiful gorge. 12000 Indians visited the Bloukrans Bridge in 2017, making Indians the third highest participating nationality for the activity. We have also seen an increase in travellers heading to unexplored places and off beaten paths, hence game reserves and wildlife are another growing attraction. South Africa boasts deep pockets of wildlife regions and game parks encircling every possible landscape from deserts to forests, mountains to the coast, teeming with wildlife species. South Africa’s savannah regions are still home to large numbers of the mammals universally associated with Africa – including Africa’s Big 5: Leopard, Lion, Buffalo, Elephant and Rhinoceros. South Africa is also the only place in the world where wildlife-lovers can see not just the Big 5 but also the Big 7 that includes the Southern Right Whale and Great White Shark (in Port Elizabeth / Nelson Mandela Bay). Food is another major draw for Indian travellers, and South Africa with unique Food & Wine tours takes travellers on a delectable journey while also helping them explore a destination uniquely. The wine has become an enormous part of the South African experience. Most high- end Indian travellers – FITs or small family groups – including at least one vineyard, if not more on their itinerary and always include a wine pairing meal as part of their South African Winelands experience. We are also seeing Indian travellers opting to devote a whole day to a single vineyard so as to also learn to brew wines. Some are even open to spending a little extra to mull their own wine and name it after themselves.
Are there any special activities being promoted across age groups to engage Indian visitors?
For 2018, we have aligned our efforts towards creating more awareness for the newer regions like Oudtshoorn, Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, Port Elizabeth, the Drakensberg region and the Panorama Route. These are picturesque areas where travellers can pack in a lot of action into shorter time-spans. We are also looking at expanding our geographies beyond the usual Indian metropolitan cities and tapping into tier 2 regions. This year we are also looking at driving historic travel. This is based on the premise that South Africa birthed, shaped and moulded the great Nelson Mandela who celebrated his centenary birth year in 2018.
