Despite South Africa's latest tourism statistics showing a significant increase in the number of tourist arrivals from Australia , the majority of respondents to our latest poll say that they have not experienced increased demand from the continent.
After the reintroduction of SAA's flights to Perth in April, tourist numbers from Australia shot up by 42 in the subsequent month and reached 93 of pre-Covid arrival figures. However, 64 of our poll respondents said that the enhanced connectivity had not translated into an increase in tourism demand for their businesses, with the remaining 36 saying that they were enjoying increased demand.
SATSA CEO, David Frost, previously told Tourism Update that South Africa needed to create a compelling and holistic strategy to maximise the potential of new air routes.
This means not only attracting visitors but also creating compelling reasons for them to stay longer and explore more of what South Africa has to offer. By doing so, we can transform these air links into lasting economic benefits for our country. We cannot afford to be satisfied with incremental gains when our competitors are making bold strides. Our focus must be on accelerating this growth trajectory through strategic interventions, innovative approaches and ease of access for key source markets.