By Taiye Olayemi
2023 Africa’s Travel Indaba has become an obvious testament that South Africa has truly recovered from the global disaster of COVID-19 which struck in 2020.
The travel market which held from May 7 to May 17, with the theme “Unlimited Africa”, recorded attendance of over 8,000 delegates, 1,000 exhibitors who came to market over 350 products and buyers from 21 nations of the world.
This is quite massive and encouraging, giving assurance that Africans are still taking over the global tourism space.
Patricia De Lille, South Africa’s Minister of Tourism, during the expo in excitement said that the world is rediscovering the nation considering its enticing and unparalleled natural beauty and warmth of the people.
De Lille revealed that the domestic overnight trips to South Africa from January to March has exceeded pre-pandemic levels as well as the 2022 levels by 41.0 per cent while overnight domestic spend is also up to 24.4 per cent compared to first quarter of 2022.
She said that domestic holiday trips from January to March were up to 40.5 per cent compared to 2022 to reach 2.4million.
According to her, in the course of these three months, Africa led the way with 1.6 million arrivals, followed by Europe’s 387,000 and the America’s 104,000 visitors.
She said during the period under review, Zimbabwe maintained its reign as South Africa’s top source market, a trend consistent since 2019.
She further revealed that air capacity has risen since 2022, with a 56 per cent increase in the first quarter of 2023 as South Africa reached 1.8 million seats and welcomed about 23 new routes.
“In the first quarter of 2023, foreign direct spend soared to an astounding R25.3billion, marking a 143.9 per cent increase compared to the first quarter of 2022.
“Tourists from Europe contributed the most spend of R10.8 billion, followed by Africa with a collective spend of R9.3 billion.
“Indeed, South Africa’s tourism industry has demonstrated remarkable resilience and growth, outshining other popular destinations like China, France, Italy and Brazil,” she said.
South Africa has truly positioned itself as a global tourism hub through huge investment in creating luxurious tourism destinations and well maintained to attract tourists.
Other African nations must take clues from the rainbow nation to reposition the industry and take it to an enviable height.
South Africa’s Indaba featured adventurous tours to iconic tourist sites within the Northwest and the gold city of Johannesburg.
This was an eye-opener for a lot of tourists as they toured the Magaliesberg mountains, Pilanesberg National Park, Mphebatho Cultural Museum.
The 2,400 million-year-old Magaliesberg mountains was explored in a canopy tour that consists 11 platforms, built high within the rock faces of the Kloof and joined by 10 slides up to 140 metres long and 30 metres above the stream below.
Tourists also hiked on the ancient mountain of Magaliesberg in a distance of about 250 metres. The mountain is indeed endowed with beautiful ecology, birds and animals.
At the Pilanesberg National Park, Martin Lesiba, a South African tour guide, gave a brief history of the park and described it as the home for the “Big 5” of Elephants, Rhinoceros, Lions, Buffaloes and Leopards.
The park in its untamed African landscape, lush-green vegetation, man-made lake and other fauna and floral features can be explored in a 200 kilometres drive.
Lesiba said that the park named after a Tswana Chief, with the name “Pilane”, also accommodates various medicinal plants and trees, among which is the buffalo thorn.
“This is the fourth largest park in South Africa, it was originally owned by four of the numerous local tribes in the northwest province.
“We have over 360 bird species and 7, 000 animals in this park,” he said.
Also within the Northwest province is the Mphebatho Cultural Museum where the history of the Bakgatla-Ba-Kgafela people of the province was relayed by Keamogetswe Phefo, Acting Manager for the museum.
In adventurous mood, tourists in quad-bikes moved through the Muruleng, Leeto Kgolo villages in the province, observing the eco-tourism potential within the locality.
The South African nightlife experience is another aspect of tourism well groomed. Tourists visited Max’s Lifestyle as well as Konka Soweto, known for their exciting atmosphere and eclectic music selection.
Nightlife is a lifestyle adventure, also another aspect of tourism the South Africans cherish.
In what was tagged “Leeto Experience”, no fewer than 10 hummer jeeps conveyed tourists from the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Conference Centre to Umlazi area of Kwazulu-Natal Province.
The tourists immersed themselves in a vibrant nightlife featuring an eclectic mix of music with distinct African flavour.
In a city tour of Johannesburg, the tourists visited the Constitution Hill, Mandela Sanctuary Hotel, Gold Reef City, Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory and more.
Aside putting in place the right infrastructures capable of boosting tourism activities, the nation is equally endowed with an attractive weather.
Other African nations must also be deliberate in their efforts to boost tourism, this is quite garmane to Africans development.
