Despite a major increase in fuel prices expected in April, tourism groups remain positive for a bumper Easter weekend next week.
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South Africa’s tourism industry is anticipating a strong Easter holiday period, with industry players expressing confidence that demand will remain resilient despite a sharp increase in fuel prices expected in April ahead of the bumper Easter weekend.
Umhlanga Tourism chairperson Naomi Crous on Monday said they were expecting a strong and positive Easter period, with domestic travel expected to increase compared to previous years.
Crous said while higher fuel prices may influence travel decisions, they are unlikely to deter Easter travel.
“We expect travellers to adapt by shortening stays or sharing costs, rather than cancelling trips altogether. For Umhlanga, this may even be beneficial, as it remains a drive-friendly coastal destination for a large portion of the domestic market,” she said.
Crous said that occupancy levels over the Easter weekend are expected to be high, especially over the long weekend period, Thursday through Monday.
“Early indications show a modest increase in bookings and arrivals compared to Easter 2024. This reflects the continued recovery and growing confidence in domestic travel.”
Brett Tungay, national chairperson of the Federated Hospitality Association of Southern Africa (FEDHASA), said that South Africans need a little more adversity than high fuel prices to not go away over Easter.
“If the fuel prices do escalate further, what we will see is a reduction in secondary spend such as restaurant meals and entertainment. We might benefit from the air travel disruptions in the Middle East as some South Africans might decide to spend Easter in the country and not travel abroad,” Tungay said.
Jeannie Sarno, owner of Burnham House B&B in Umhlanga, said she is hoping that bookings pick up in the upcoming days.
“Domestic travellers have developed a trend to book at the last minute. This could be due to the pandemic or modern travellers waiting for last-minute deals, but many can remain disappointed as first-choice establishments become booked up,” she said.
“Personally, I am proud of what the Presidential eThekwini Working Group (PEWG) has been doing for the past 2 years, and we are seeing the results of their hard work. Durban is looking beautiful and clean again.”
Dr Vusumuzi Sibiya, CEO of South Coast Tourism & Investment Enterprise (SCTIE), said the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast continues to position itself as a premier domestic tourism destination.
“Our destination continues to demonstrate resilience and appeal, particularly within the domestic market. We are optimistic about the Easter period and remain committed to working with our stakeholders to ensure a safe, vibrant, and memorable visitor experience,” he said.
Sibiya added that SCTIE anticipates a strong influx of domestic travellers over the Easter holiday period. He said while rising fuel costs remain a concern and may influence travel behaviour, the South Coast continues to be viewed as a value-for-money destination within driving distance for many domestic tourists.
“Travellers are increasingly opting for shorter stays, group travel, or budget-friendly accommodation options to offset costs. Despite these pressures, SCTIE remains cautiously optimistic that the overall impact will be moderate, with many travellers still prioritising leisure travel during the holiday period.”
“There is strong confidence that reservations will pick up steadily as the Easter weekend approaches, particularly for coastal properties and family-friendly establishments.”
Ulrich Joubert, an independent economist, said that the possible increase of more than R4 to the petrol price and more than R8 per litre to the diesel price is surely going to have an immense cost on the cost to travel.
“If you just think, most of the normal taxis run, as far as I know, on petrol. But, R5 on a R20 [base price], that's quite a hefty percentage increase. And most likely they will like to increase it even more than, say, R4 or R5 per litre that they travel,” Joubert said. “You can just imagine the cost increase to travel during the Easter weekend.”
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