Why South Africa?

Memorable is the word you can use to fittingly describe any South Africa holiday experience and there are many reasons why.

South Africa is well endowed with a wide variety of experiences to explore. From watching the big five in one of the world’s biggest national parks to enjoying a relaxing time at our blue flag beaches to surfing at some of the world’s best super tubes. You can choose to sift through our unmatched cultural and wine routes or you can opt to learn a lot through our world heritage sites.

You can watch whales doing acrobatics at the world’s whale watching capital or come up close and personal with the great whites or simply take part in any of the endless adrenalin pumping adventure sports that we offer in the air, sea or on land. All this while staying in some of the world class hotels or simply living in our equally comfortable award winning alternative accommodation.
Have a look at the South African Tourism website for more detailed information about the destination www.southafrica.net

How easy is it to meet and mix with South Africans from all communities?

Does South Africa have big cities with modern amenities?

When is the best time to visit South Africa?

South Africa is a fabulous all year-round destination so when you visit depends on what you would like to do. The best time for game watching, for instance, is early spring (August to October). The southern right whales can be seen off our coasts from about mid-June to the end of October, and the humpback whales from August to December.

The diving is generally best from April to September, and so is the surfing, but these activities are by no means limited to these periods. Flowers are at their best in August and September. River rafting is better at the end of winter in the Cape; and in summer (late November to February) in KwaZulu-Natal.

In Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces, activities are not quite as time-dependent but spring and autumn are best for hiking since summer can be very hot. If you want to lounge on the beaches, midsummer is the best time to do so, though bear in mind that everyone else will be there too. The beaches of KwaZulu-Natal are warm and sunny, even in midwinter.

Can South Africa guarantee winter sun?

Yes! South Africa experiences one of the highest numbers of "sunshine hours" per year of any country worldwide.

TOURISM: 87 000 Nordic visitors to South Africa in 2005

Own Correspondent
Published: 2006-04-25
Visitors from the Nordic countries have become South Africa’s 6th largest overseas visitors group. The increasing popularity of swapping the Nordic winter for South Africa’s sunny climate is fast changing the current account balance between the regions - what South Africa looses on the large trade deficit it partially gains from tourists and conference visitors.

JOHANNESBURG. Nordic tourism to South Africa continues to climb steadily. Last year it grew by 13 percent to 87 100 - it was just 1500 10 years ago - which makes Nordic visitors the 6th largest overseas group.

It also means that Nordic visitors contribution to South Africa’s fast growing tourism industry and to the economy as a whole has seem enormous growth.

The South African tourism industry estimates that the average overseas visitor brings in ZAR 38 000 (€ 5199) to the country, which suggests that the inflow of Nordic cash was a bit over 3 billion rand (€ 412 million) in 2005. That would make up for some of the trade imbalance between the regions and also explain why South African wine export to the Nordic countries is also on the rise.

Overall the tourism industry counts for about 7 percent of South Africa’s GDP – just above the gold industry (before the gold price hit 25 year highs). It employs currently 1.2 million people, a number that is rapidly increasing.

Nevertheless, the increase in tourism from the Nordic countries and across the board – Brits, Germans, Americans, Germans and Dutch are ahead in numbers - comes a bit as a surprise as the South African rand has strengthened steadily over the past 18-24 months.

Among the Nordic visitors Norwegians were the fastest growing group, up by 26 percent to 20 600. They were followed by Finnish visitors, up by 24 percent to 7 900.

Swedes were largest by numbers, 36 400, a rise by 10 percent (South Africa’s 10th largest visitors group), while there were 21 450 Danes in South Africa last year – up by 4 percent. Even Icelanders, citizens of the smallest of the Nordic nations, Iceland, have found their way to South Africa: 700 last year.

Industry experts quite agree that some of the improved tourism, in particular the 15 percent growth among Swedes in December, is to some extent an effect of the tsunami. Christmas tourists chose South Africa last year instead of South East Asia.

Ironically South Africa, which up until recently was seen as insecure due to high crime rates, is seen as relatively safe compared with places like Indonesia and the Middle East.

Even Danish tourists, who largely stayed at home over the Christmas period due to the Mohammed cartoons, increased slightly in South Africa over the festive season.
 
Nordic tourists still believe that they get real value for money in South Africa, as long as wining and dining continues to be comparatively inexpensive. They also feel culturally at home, there is no language barrier, and they can get a taste of exotic cultures and the rich wildlife. Not to mention the sun, the beaches and the endless numbers of golf courses.

South Africa is well placed to continue to host increasing numbers of Nordic tourists, of which about 20-30 percent are business or conference visitors.

The fact that the sector is given special attention by the South African Government in its growth programme, also suggests that the service levels will continue to improve. The country could swallow considerably larger numbers of tourists than it does today.

A real dilemma for Nordic as well as other international organisers is that the flights to South Africa are very full and that South Africa has been very restrictive in allowing further slots or charter flights. Critics see this as a way of protecting the largely state owned South African Airways.

Three neighbouring countries – Botswana, Namibia and Mozambique – are also benefiting from increased tourism to South Africa.

Zimbabwe used to benefit from regional tourism, but visitors numbers have dropped to less than 10 percent of the numbers 10 years ago.

To some extent Zambia has picked up Zimbabwe’s Vic Falls tourism, as package tours in particular have switched from Victoria Falls to Livingstone – the Zambian side of the famous falls.


Nordic tourism to South Africa – 2005