More potential tourists from as far as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Poland are thinking of coming to South Africa, while those from traditional source markets are again picking up speed.
Flight search data from global travel search site Cheapflights.co.za shows that flight searches for travels to South Africa in the second half of 2022 are returning to pre-pandemic levels.
The top five international source markets that most searched for flights to South Africa for travels in the second part of 2022 compared to the same period in 2019 were the UK, Germany, the US, France, and Austria. Searches from New Zealand and Zimbabwe showed “robust growth,” according to a Cheapflights.co.za report.
“This is very positive for South Africa’s tourism sector. The sector has been amplifying efforts to grow inbound travel from traditional source markets and across the globe,” says Laure Bornet, general manager of KAYAK EMEA, which manages Cheapflights.co.za.
SA’s top 10 most searched destinations for international travelers in the second part of 2022 were Johannesburg, then Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Durban, Gqeberha, Sun City, Kruger National Park, Pretoria, East London and Hermanus.
“We are seeing a global trend where travelers want to experience new, unique, and different things. They are looking beyond the usual favourites to see what else a country has to offer,” says Bornet.
Cheapflights’ one-way flight search data shows the most searched for destinations in the rest of Africa, with departures from South Africa, were Harare and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, Port Louis in Mauritius, Windhoek in Namibia, and Nairobi in Kenya.