It’s quite easy to sell South Africa as a holiday destination, and it makes good business sense to do so. Most people come on holiday, and many have visited at least once before. You’ll find that visitors love to return again and again to South Africa. On average, they spend eight nights in the country – after all, it’s a long way to come and they want to make the most of their trip. A large percentage of visitors purchase their travel through travel agents and tend to deal with agencies and agents that have a reputation for specializing in South Africa. Completing your SA Specialist: Essentials course will put you firmly in this category.
Why do tourists visit South Africa?
Word of mouth is how most people get to know about South Africa. Family and friends recommend both the destination plus the agency and agent that advised them and planned their trip.
South Africa’s appeal
‘Africa’ has a seductive appeal for many would-be travelers, and South Africa’s reputation as a destination that offers such an extensive variety of breathtaking holidays and experiences throughout the year, combined with its First World infrastructure, continues to bring more and more visitors to its superb beaches, world-famous game reserves, dramatic mountains, sophisticated cities, historic battlefields, great and small semi-deserts, wide-open spaces , breathtaking (often literally) adventure activities, and much more.
Affordability
South Africa is renowned for its excellent tourist infrastructure and huge choice of accommodation, from luxury game lodges and five-star hotels to friendly country houses, small hotels, B&Bs, and camping and self-catering establishments. A trip to South Africa is very affordable as the South African rand offers great value for money against major world currencies such as the dollar, the euro, the British pound, the yen and the yuan.
South Africa offers unforgettable experiences
Publicity and awareness
South African Tourism promotes extensive marketing, advertising and online campaigns, and makes good use of the electronic media to raise and maintain awareness of just how wonderful a destination South Africa really is – you can use this to help you sell South Africa. South Africa scores very highly on visitor satisfaction indices and is unique in its high number of repeat visits. Its increasing status as a ‘destination of choice’ is reflected in the many accolades it has received over the years. With your specialist knowledge of South Africa, you and your agency will also become a ‘destination of choice’ and get many repeat visitors.
Unique and unforgettable experiences
South Africa prides itself on its almost countless wonders and experiences. There really is something for everyone.
use the TOP 10 REASONS TO VISIT SOUTH AFRICA as your unique selling points. Briefly,
these key points are:
- Affordability
- Wildlife
- Beaches
- Scenic beauty
- Friendliness
- Weather
- Adventure activities
- History
- Excellent tourist infrastructure
- Responsible tourism
Top 10 experiences
Isandlwana battlefield
Now, let’s talk about the top 10 experiences in South Africa (although there are so many it’s
hard to choose just 10!).
Scenic splendour
South Africa has some of the most diverse and spectacular scenery in the world. Expect miles of golden beaches and unspoiled coastline; dramatic mountains and mountain passes; 19 national parks; game reserves teeming with big game and hundreds of birds; ancient forests; semi- deserts; oceans and rivers; rolling grasslands; and natural flower fields – all readily accessible and waiting to be explored.
Winelands
South Africa’s vineyards have been making some of the best wine in the world for over 300 years. Wine regions stretch from the Western Cape to the Northern Cape, where your clients can sample wine at world-famous estates or little-known gems, or visit our renowned port and brandy routes. Where there’s great wine, there’s also great food – so Cheers and Bon Appétit!.
Safaris
South Africa has some of the best and most accessible safari destinations in the world. Visitors can splurge on an all-inclusive safari at world-class, award-winning private lodges, take guided game tours, or go it alone in one of our fabulous game-rich private reserves or national parks. They’ll find the Big Five at many of them – buffalo, elephant, lion, leopard and rhino.
Kruger National Park
You just can’t beat it. The size of Israel or Wales, with loads of different accommodation options for all budgets, it’s one of the world’s oldest and most famous game reserves and is teeming with game. Self-drive is a wonderful option – there’s nothing quite like puttering gently along a road and coming face-to-face with a herd of elephants, a ‘journey’ of giraffes, a pride of lions, a ‘dazzle’ of zebras, a solitary leopard or a huge rhino. Don’t worry though; tell your client to stay in the car, respect the animal’s space, and just take pictures.
Struggle sites, rock art and historic battlefields
Your clients can visit our top Struggle sites and museums and follow in the footsteps of some of the greatest freedom icons in modern history, such as Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo and Mahatma Gandhi, among many others. South African rock art is among the best in the world and easily accessible, and historic battlefields where Boer battled Zulus, Zulus battled Brits, and Brits battled Boers abound.
Marine magnificence
Where else can a person sail beside a whale, or watch whale mothers and babies bask and roll; go eye-to-eye with different kinds of sharks; cage dive with great whites; be charmed by friendly penguins or leaping dolphins; experience some of the best scuba diving and snorkeling in the world; watch giant turtles lay their eggs on deserted beaches; or see the hatchlings making their desperate run for the sea?
Getting to know the locals
Visitors can spend time in Soweto or a city township (they’ll be amazed at the activities and experiences on offer); stay overnight or spend a day at a Zulu cultural village; admire the intricate beadwork, metal neck rings and unique geometric mural art of the Ndebele people; enjoy the hospitality of a South African farm; or just chat to the locals wherever they are – your clients will be amazed at South Africans’ openness and friendliness to visitors.
Portrait of a woman from the Western Cape
Outdoor rush
Gorgeous, sunny weather most of the time, spectacular locations, loads of mega-thrill adventures (including the highest commercial bridge bungee jump in the world), river rafting, abseiling, hiking, horse riding, hiking, paragliding and 4×4 routes – South Africa is known as the adventure center of the world.
Indulge the senses
Relax and rejuvenate the South African way. Visitors will find health and wellness retreats – many of them globally award-winning – throughout the country. Many use indigenous oils and ingredients to help clients de-stress and wind down – by the beach, in the bush, at a hotel, or wherever they are.
Urban rhythm
Experience the unique rhythm of our cities when feeling the beat of live kwaito, hip-hop or jazz at a local nightclub, bar or township shebeens (tavern); be entertained in our theatres; play at our ritzy casinos; visit our unique museums and art galleries; shop in glitzy shopping malls or African craft markets; or dine in our fabulous restaurants.
Need to know
Can visitors smoke in South Africa?
Yes, but there are strict restrictions. Smoking is banned in public places, but there are usually designated areas where people can smoke. Under 18s may not enter a designated smoking area or buy cigarettes.
Are credit cards readily acceptable?
Yes, almost everywhere. Visa and MasterCard are the most commonly accepted.
Are camera cards, batteries and other camera accessories readily available?
Yes, but it’s always advisable to carry spares, especially if visitors are going into the bush or remote areas.
What exactly does ‘the bush’ mean?
It means areas of natural wilderness such as national parks and game reserves.
Do my clients need to bring binoculars?
Yes, absolutely essential if they want to get the best out of their South African experience. Advise them to buy good lightweight ones.
