SATSA, the voice of inbound tourism in Southern Africa, has unveiled the full programme for its flagship annual conference, bringing together an exceptional line-up of business leaders, destination specialists, conservation pioneers, hospitality executives and tourism innovators to explore the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of tourism in the region.

Taking place from 19–21 August 2026 at Southern Sun Cape Sun, the conference will provide a platform for industry collaboration, strategic discussion and practical insight at a time when tourism businesses are navigating changing global markets, technological advances, conservation priorities and evolving traveller expectations.

Among those taking to the stage are some of South Africa’s most respected business, destination and tourism leaders, including Marcel von Aulock, Chief Executive Officer of Southern Sun; Adrian Enthoven, Executive Chairman of Yellowwoods and Family Owner of Spier Wine Farm; Graham Wood, Chief Executive Officer of the V&A Waterfront; Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, City of Cape Town; Enver Duminy, Chief Executive Officer of Cape Town Tourism; and Rashid Toefy, Deputy Director General: Economic Development and Tourism, Western Cape Government.

Joining them are respected leaders from organisations including SANParks, Rhino Africa, Africa’s Eden, Wesgro, Dream Hotels & Resorts, the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa, Nielsen Sports, Londolozi, Wild Wings Safaris, Isibindi Africa Lodges and Motsamayi Tourism Group, reflecting the breadth of expertise represented across the programme.

The programme explores some of the defining issues shaping tourism today, including:

• SANParks at 100: Legacy, Growth and the Road Ahead
• The South African Business Landscape: Navigating Change and Creating Opportunity
• The V&A Waterfront: Reinvention, Relevance and the Road Ahead
• Panorama Reimagined & Wild Eastern Cape: Destination Reinvention and Regional Competitiveness
• The Collaboration Advantage: How Government and Industry Are Building a Common Roadmap for Tourism Growth
• Beyond the Middle East Horizon: New Markets, New Routes and the Courage to Grow
• Reimagining Tourism, Together: Building a More Competitive, Connected and Inclusive Southern Africa

According to SATSA CEO David Frost, the conference has been designed to bring together the ideas, people and partnerships that will help shape the future of tourism.

“Tourism has always been one of South Africa’s greatest strengths, but the environment in which we operate is changing rapidly. Success will increasingly depend on our ability to collaborate, adapt and embrace new ways of thinking. SATSA Conference 2026 brings together the people, ideas and partnerships that will help shape tourism’s next chapter. More than a conference, it is where our industry comes together to challenge thinking, build relationships and create momentum for the future.”

SATSA Chairperson Oupa Pilane said the programme reflects both the diversity and strength of Southern Africa’s tourism sector.

“This year’s programme has been carefully curated to bring together some of the most influential voices from across business, conservation, government and tourism. By creating space for meaningful dialogue and practical insight, we hope delegates leave not only inspired, but equipped with new ideas, stronger partnerships and renewed confidence in the future of our industry.”

The full conference programme and registration details are available here.

About SATSA

SATSA is the voice of inbound tourism in Southern Africa, representing over 1,200 quality assured members across the tourism value chain. As a trusted mark of credibility, SATSA-member businesses are vetted annually with stringent financial checks and adhere to a strict Code of Conduct, ensuring high ethical and operational standards. SATSA continually works to promote responsible tourism and protect travellers from fraudulent activity within the industry. https://www.satsa.com/

Media Contact

Kim Taylor | Strategic Communications and Marketing Manager, SATSA

kim@satsa.co.za

Home to South Africa’s largest concentration of award-winning restaurants, celebrated wine estates, visionary chefs and artisan producers, Stellenbosch once again invites visitors to experience why it is recognised as the country’s leading food and wine destination.

Some destinations are known for great restaurants. Stellenbosch is something else entirely.

Here, award-winning chefs, passionate winemakers, artisan producers, farmers and welcoming hosts come together to create a destination where every meal tells a story. Whether it is an intimate chef’s table, a long table feast among the vines, an innovative tasting menu or a leisurely brunch that turns into an afternoon, food is not simply something you enjoy. It is how you experience Stellenbosch.

It is this extraordinary concentration of chefs, winemakers, farmers, cheesemakers, bakers, distillers, olive producers and hospitality experiences, all within minutes of one another, that makes Stellenbosch unlike anywhere else in South Africa. Every meal begins long before it reaches the table, rooted in exceptional local produce, generations of craftsmanship and a culture that celebrates creativity, collaboration and genuine hospitality.

Recognised by the Eat Out Awards, Gourmet Guide and the World’s 101 Best Steak Restaurants, Stellenbosch continues to set the benchmark for culinary excellence in South Africa. Home to some of the country’s most celebrated restaurants and wine estates, the destination has earned a reputation for delivering world-class food and wine experiences that are authentic, innovative and deeply connected to place.

“Taste Stellenbosch is more than a celebration of exceptional food and wine. It is a celebration of the people, passion and craftsmanship that have shaped Stellenbosch into South Africa’s leading food and wine destination,” says Annemie Liebenberg, CEO of Visit Stellenbosch.

“Every chef, winemaker, farmer, artisan producer and host contributes to a culinary story that is uniquely Stellenbosch. Here, remarkable experiences begin with extraordinary ingredients, are brought to life by talented people and shared around tables that inspire conversation, connection and discovery. Taste Stellenbosch invites visitors to slow down, savour every moment and experience a destination where every meal becomes a lasting memory. We hope every visitor leaves inspired, already planning their return, because the very best way to discover Stellenbosch is one unforgettable meal at a time.”

This year’s programme celebrates the remarkable breadth and diversity of Stellenbosch’s culinary landscape. From intimate chef collaborations and immersive food and wine pairings to vineyard feasts, long table gatherings, heritage dining experiences and menus created exclusively for the season, every experience has been thoughtfully curated to showcase the creativity, generosity and unmistakable sense of place that define South Africa’s leading food and wine destination.

“Taste Stellenbosch is an invitation to experience the extraordinary diversity of our destination,” says Daniel Kriel, Chairman of Taste Stellenbosch.

“Whether it is an intimate chef’s table, a vineyard feast, a long lunch with friends or discovering a hidden culinary gem for the first time, every experience has been thoughtfully created by passionate people who love sharing Stellenbosch. Visitors won’t simply enjoy exceptional food and wine. They’ll discover the warmth, creativity and generosity that make this destination so memorable and leave with every reason to return.”

Highlights of Taste Stellenbosch 2026 include:

• De Warenmarkt’s interactive Test Kitchen and Pinotage & Venison Winemakers’ Dinner with Beyerskloof.
• 96 Winery Road Restaurant’s nostalgic four-course celebration of 30 years of Good Food, Good Wine and Good Times.
• HŌSEKI at Delaire Graff Estate’s Nihon Jūdan, an elegant culinary journey through regional Japanese flavours.
• Muratie Farm Kitchen’s Story Room Experience, where exceptional wines, slow-cooked cuisine and heritage storytelling come together.
• Pink Valley Restaurant’s Pink Drinks & Petite Plates experience, pairing rosé wines with beautifully crafted tasting plates.
• Warwick Wine Estate’s signature gourmet slider and wine pairing.
• Lanzerac’s guided Taste Lanzerac experience and Family Style Sundays.
• Klein Joostenberg Bistro’s spectacular long table farm brunch celebrating seasonal produce, artisan charcuterie, oysters and sparkling wine.

But Taste Stellenbosch doesn’t end at the table.

Some places deserve more than a day

Exceptional seasonal accommodation experiences at boutique guesthouses, luxury hotels, vineyard estates and countryside retreats invite visitors to slow down and stay a little longer. Wake up among the vineyards, linger over another breakfast, discover another cellar, book another table and give yourself the greatest luxury of all: another day to experience the flavours, people and unexpected moments that make Stellenbosch unforgettable.

Because the best meals are never rushed. Neither is Stellenbosch.

Taste Stellenbosch accommodation highlights include:

• 10 Alexander B&B: Stay for two nights and savour a third night free at the #1-rated Tripadvisor B&B in Stellenbosch.
• Rozenburg Guesthouse: Stay within walking distance of Stellenbosch’s historic village centre, top restaurants and wineries, and enjoy 30% off your accommodation.
• Spier Wine Farm: Book two nights or more and receive R1,600 credit to indulge across dining, wine and spa experiences.

Discover the full range of participating accommodation at: taste.visitstellenbosch.org/accommodation/

Come hungry. Leave inspired. Return soon.

Taste Stellenbosch runs from 1 August to 20 September 2026.

Discover the full programme of dining experiences, accommodation packages and seasonal inspiration at: taste.visitstellenbosch.org

ENDS

About Visit Stellenbosch

Visit Stellenbosch is the official destination marketing organisation for Stellenbosch, working in partnership with tourism businesses, local government and industry stakeholders to position Stellenbosch as one of South Africa’s leading year-round leisure, lifestyle and business events destinations. Through strategic destination marketing, visitor services and industry collaboration, Visit Stellenbosch inspires travellers to discover the region’s exceptional wine, award-winning culinary experiences, rich heritage, vibrant culture and breathtaking natural landscapes.

Media enquiries

Roland Muller: roland@bigambitions.co.za

Madalene Manuel: madalene@bigambitions.co.za

For more information about Taste Stellenbosch, visit taste.visitstellenbosch.org

Instead, Corporate Traveller’s data points to something more interesting: a marked increase in trip duration. The insights form part of Corporate Traveller’s latest report: The smarter business travel guide for finance leaders.

As Juliette Da Silva, CFO of Flight Centre Travel Group South Africa explains, in 2024, the average business trip length was 3.21 days. In 2025 it jumped to 5.31 days – a 65% increase year-on-year.

“Companies are batching their meetings,” says Da Silva. “Travellers are visiting multiple stakeholders and combining market visits that would previously have been split into three separate trips. If you’re going to incur the cost and the traveller disruption of getting on a plane, you want to maximise the return on that journey.”

It’s also called trip stacking and Herman Heunes, General Manager of Corporate Traveller South Africa, sees the shift play out in booking patterns every day.

“The trips we’re booking in 2026 look nothing like the trips we were booking in 2023,” he says. “Clients are coming to us with bigger, more complex itineraries – multi-city, multi-stakeholder, often spanning a week or more. What used to be three separate Johannesburg-to-Cape Town hops for three different meetings has become one trip that does all three plus a client dinner and a team workshop on the way through.”

That shift has changed how Corporate Traveller’s client conversations unfold, Heunes adds.

“Five years ago, a lot of our cost conversations were around securing the best airfare. Now they’re about trip design: how you sequence meetings, where you base yourself, which hotel is actually closest to your three client sites rather than the one with the cheapest headline rate. Those decisions often save more money than a fare negotiation ever would.”

The behavioural shift is healthy for both ROI and traveller wellness, but it’s shifting where budget pressure shows up.

“Longer trips mean more hotel nights,” says Da Silva. “And South African hotel rates have been climbing steadily over the last three years – from an average room night of R1,050 in 2023 to R1,301 in 2025. So, while companies are getting better value per trip, they also need to be watching accommodation spend much more closely than they used to.”

Similarly, average international rates have climbed from R2,424 in 2023 to R2,877 in 2025. For a finance leader whose travel programme is still measured primarily on airfare savings, that’s a blind spot worth closing.

Both Da Silva and Heunes agree that travel policies need to catch up with traveller behaviour.

“The longer-trip, higher-ROI pattern should be baked into policy, not treated as an exception,” Heunes says. “If batching meetings is the new normal, your policy should actively encourage it. That means flexibility on minimum stay duration, smart advance-purchase requirements, and preferred supplier relationships that reward the kind of multi-night bookings your travellers are now making.”

Put simply, companies can save money in a number of ways: booking in advance (and as Da Silva notes, advance booking windows are already lengthening, up to 17.9 days in 2025), leveraging loyalty programmes, and exploring alternate accommodation options including guesthouses. Geographic clustering – combining multiple close destinations into a single trip – cuts airfare costs, while negotiating midweek rates lowers accommodation spend.

Da Silva frames it as a broader mindset shift.

“South African companies aren’t travelling less because business travel matters less,” Da Silva says. “The value of business travel is not in question. Instead, they’re travelling differently, stretching the return on every journey and tightening the discipline around when and how trips get booked. In today’s economic environment you have to make sure every rand counts. The companies doing this well are treating travel less as a line-item cost and more as a managed investment – and using current conditions as an opportunity to reset policies, renegotiate supplier agreements, and build programmes that flex with market volatility.”

For a closer look at the data – and a practical framework for managing travel spend in volatile conditions – download Corporate Traveller’s latest report here.

-ENDS–

MEDIA CONTACT

For more information about Corporate Traveller, or to interview Corporate Traveller South Africa GM Herman Heunes, call Sonnette Fourie on 081 072 2869 or email sonnette@bigambitions.co.za.    

About Corporate Traveller

Corporate Traveller is a division of the Flight Centre Travel Group, dedicated to saving businesses across Southern Africa time and money. Corporate Traveller has the benefit of being part of the world’s third-largest travel retailer, leveraging its global negotiating strength. It has access to over 50 of the world’s leading airlines and deals with more than 100 000 hotels around the world to guarantee savings for clients. Corporate Traveller provides clear, consolidated reporting of all its clients’ travel activities, helping them to control travel spend and identify opportunities to save costs.

Issued by:

Big Ambitions

Sonnette Fourie

sonnette@bigambitions.co.za

+27 81 072 2869

2026 is not the year to leave this important decision that late.

Three forces are converging to make this December the most competitive South African holiday season on record, and understanding all three is the difference between a December holiday that works and one that costs significantly more than it should.

Force #1: The fuel crisis is removing seats from the market

December’s capacity picture is tighter than it appears. While Gulf carriers have largely restored their networks (Emirates has confirmed it has restored 96% of its global capacity, and Qatar Airways is targeting 150+ destinations from mid-June), the fuel crisis is driving a separate and significant wave of capacity reduction across the broader industry.

Airlines have cut 13,000 flights globally in May alone, removing nearly two million seats from the market according to Cirium. Lufthansa has announced 20,000 flight cancellations through October, Spirit Airlines has ceased operations entirely, and Air France, KLM, Air Canada, Delta, and SAS have all trimmed their summer schedules. The reason in every case is the same: jet fuel has more than doubled in price since the conflict began, making routes that were previously profitable no longer viable.

December is South Africa’s most demand-intensive travel month. It’s also the month into which a portion of disrupted June and July bookings have been rerouted as some nervous travellers adjust their plans. The combination of compressed supply from fuel-driven flight cancellations and elevated demand creates exactly the pricing pressure that makes early booking essential.

“December availability is filling faster than usual this year. The travellers who act now will be accessing a meaningfully different market from those who wait until spring to book,” says Antoinette Turner, General Manager at Flight Centre South Africa.

Force #2: Fuel costs are embedded – and not coming down quickly

As mentioned, jet fuel prices have increased from approximately $831 per tonne in late February to a high of $1,838 by early April. The Gulf region normally accounts for approximately half of Europe’s jet fuel imports, but that supply chain has not recovered to pre-conflict levels and, according to industry experts, will not do so quickly even if the Strait of Hormuz fully reopens.

The fuel arriving at South African airports today was purchased at higher prices weeks ago. South Africa’s dependence on imported fuel, supply chain lags, and the domestic refinery constraints that have been a structural feature of the local market since 2021 all mean that global oil price movements take time to filter through to local pump prices, and longer still to affect airline fare structures.

“Fuel surcharges are dynamic,” explains Turner. “They’re recalculated and reapplied as fuel costs shift. South African travellers booking December today are locking in today’s surcharge level, while the travellers who wait until spring to think about Christmas are booking at whatever surcharge level applies then – and the direction of travel, in the absence of a full and sustained resolution to the conflict, is upward.”

Furthermore, a 25 basis point interest rate hike was announced at the MPC meeting on 28 May, adding further pressure to household travel budgets, and in April, the rand was 3.5% weaker against the dollar than pre-war levels. In short, the financial environment for South African travellers is not improving in the short term, so the argument for locking in December travel costs now – at current levels, with current flexibility policies – has never been more concrete.

Force #3: South Africans already know this – they just need to act on it

South African travel intenders are the most advance-booking market in the world. 96% actively adapt their travel plans to make travel more affordable, the highest of any market globally, according to Flight Centre’s global PR report. 48% cite booking flights and accommodation well in advance as their primary affordability strategy (again the highest globally) and 46% cite travelling outside peak season.

Rather than abstract preferences, these are the specific behaviours of a market that understands, better than any other, that timing is the most powerful lever available to the price-conscious traveller.

The December saving most South Africans are leaving on the table

Emirates and Qatar Airways have returned to South African routes with competitive fares and genuine flexibility built into new bookings. Both carriers are currently offering complimentary date change options – a direct acknowledgment of the current environment and a meaningful reduction in the risk of committing to December travel today.

On several key routes, Gulf carrier pricing is currently meaningfully below non-Gulf alternatives. The gap on certain routes exceeds 60%. For a December booking, where base fares are already elevated by seasonal demand, that gap compounds into a material saving per person. A family of four booking December flights to Phuket, Singapore, or London via a Gulf carrier versus a non-Gulf alternative could be saving tens of thousands of rands on the fare alone.

Book early. Book smart.

The December holiday that most South Africans are planning to sort out in a few months’ time is available now, at a better price, with better availability, and with the flexibility to adapt if anything changes between now and then.

“The travellers who act on this today will be the ones who look back on December 2026 as the holiday that delivered everything they hoped for – without breaking the bank,” Turner concludes.

These two things – being the most social-media-inspired travellers in the world and the most committed to slow, restorative, nature-led experiences – are not easily reconciled. Because the destinations that dominate travel feeds are almost never the ones that deliver restoration or genuine immersion in the natural world.

“When the goal of a trip is the content it produces, the experience becomes subordinate to its documentation. Instead of admiring the sunset or enjoying the local meal, you’re managing the shot. The holiday becomes a production, and productions are exhausting in ways that holidays simply shouldn’t be,” explains Antoinette Turner, General Manager of Flight Centre South Africa.

The broader cultural mood is shifting in response. The de-influencing movement, which began as a pushback against product promotion on TikTok and has since expanded into a more general scepticism about curated online lives, reflects a growing appetite for something simpler and more honest. Travellers are beginning to ask whether the destinations they’re being sold are destinations they actually want to visit, or simply destinations they want to tick off their travel bucket list.

The destinations that deliver, and rarely trend

The data suggests South African travellers have been living this distinction for a while already.

Just under half (49%) of South African travel intenders are most likely to travel during off-peak season – again, the highest proportion of any market Flight Centre surveyed. This is primarily a cost strategy, but it also demonstrates a preference for the destination as it actually is – instead of chasing the moment that everyone else is chasing, Saffas are looking for their own version of the place.

The slow travel preference reinforces this. 86% of Saffas prioritising restful, unhurried travel isn’t compatible with the pace that Instagrammable itineraries typically demand – the four-country European sprint or the city break that ticks every famous landmark before lunch. Slow travel is, by its nature, selective. You go deeper into fewer places rather than skimming the surface of many.

Here are a few destinations that fit the bill.

• The Cederberg Wilderness Area in the Western Cape is a critical component of the Cape Floral Kingdom and nurtures some of the world’s most elusive plant species, like the Snow Protea. The Sneeuberg peak, the highest in the range, and other isolated places within this area are the only places on earth where the rare snow protea survives. The area also holds a significant collection of San rock art, with some paintings dating back 8,000 years.
• The Wild Coast is another underrated destination. It lies within the Pondoland Centre of Endemism, a global biodiversity hotspot where half the coastline features indigenous forests harbouring previously unknown plant species, like rare cycads and yellowwoods. And if you’re looking for a unique experience, each winter, the world’s largest biomass migration, the Sardine Run, sweeps along the coast, drawing a feeding frenzy of dolphins, sharks, seals and seabirds.
• Mozambique’s Quirimbas Archipelago sits at the northern extreme of the Mozambican coast, comprising around 32 islands from Pemba to near Tanzania – and it receives a fraction of the attention directed at Bazaruto, despite offering comparable marine biodiversity (including 52 coral species, 140 molluscs, and five different species of marine turtle). The diving is also world-class, with warm year-round temperatures, ranging from 25 to 29 °C.
• Zambia’s Lower Zambezi National Park offers a safari experience that the more famous parks like Kruger or the Serengeti can rarely deliver: genuine remoteness. The park was established in 1983 after serving as Zambia’s presidential game reserve, which kept it protected from mass tourism. It sits along the southern bank of the Zambezi, with Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools across the water. Home to around 50 mammal species and 400 birds, it boasts one of Africa’s healthiest elephant populations, plus vast buffalo herds and even wild dogs.

“The best trips I’ve ever heard clients describe are almost never the ones that produced the best content. They’re the holidays where something unexpected happened, or where they slowed down enough to actually be somewhere rather than passing through it. A photograph can capture a place. It cannot capture what it feels like to be unhurried in it,” Turner concludes.

The same report shows that the average hotel stay was just four nights, a detail that speaks to how purposefully South Africans are travelling. Not staying longer in one place than they need to, and not willing to spend precious time away on an experience that only delivers part of what they came for.

This is the driving force behind one of the most significant shifts in South African travel behaviour: the rise of the combination holiday.

“The combination holiday is the structural answer to a problem South Africans have been solving informally for years, and the travel industry is finally building the infrastructure to match it,” says Antoinette Turner, General Manager, Flight Centre South Africa.

“South African travellers are increasingly clear about what they want from their time away: nature and luxury, culture and rest, adventure and connection. The combo holiday is the only format that actually delivers on all of those things at once,” she adds.

The industry catches up: Club Med South Africa Beach and Safari

The most visible sign yet that the hospitality industry has caught up with what Saffas have been asking for opens on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast in July 2026.

Club Med South Africa Beach and Safari is unlike anything in Club Med’s global portfolio. A R2 billion investment anchoring 486 keys, a 500-seat convention centre, and an 18,000-hectare Big 5 game reserve with its own safari lodge – it’s the first Club Med in the world to combine beach and bush in a single guest journey.

What Club Med Beach and Safari represents, beyond its own considerable scale, is an industry acknowledgment that the combination holiday has arrived in earnest. The beach-and-safari experience that travellers (South African and international alike), have been piecing together across separate bookings for decades is now available in a single, seamlessly designed product. That is not a small thing, regardless of where you sit on the budget spectrum.

The combinations that deliver

Club Med Beach and Safari is the most dramatic example, but it’s far from the only one. Here are the four other popular combination types delivering the most complete travel experiences in 2026.

Beach and safari

Africa’s greatest travel pairing has historically required two separate trips or very careful logistical choreography. Beyond Club Med Beach and Safari, the combos that work best for South Africans include:

• Mozambique’s Bazaruto Archipelago paired with a Kruger or Madikwe extension: Warm Indian Ocean water and extraordinary marine biodiversity followed by the best game viewing on the continent.
• Kenya’s Diani Beach and the Masai Mara: Offering the same pairing, just a little bit further afield in East Africa.
• Zanzibar and a Tanzania safari: Pristine beaches and then the Serengeti (or vice versa) – plus a touch of culture and history thrown in thanks to Stone Town, too.

City and coast

The argument for this combo is psychological as much as geographical. A city break provides cultural stimulation and the sense of being fully alive in a place, but it rarely delivers the decompression that South African travellers are seeking. The coast provides that decompression, but it can feel passive without the stimulation of a great city. Together, they create a trip that satisfies both the curious and the exhausted.

• Singapore and Bali is the classic for South Africans heading east.
• Cape Town domestically.
• Lisbon and the Algarve for Europe.

Cruise and destination

The number one reason people choose to cruise is the ability to visit multiple destinations. Additionally, ocean cruising is rated the highest-satisfaction holiday type of any category surveyed, above all-inclusive resorts, resort packages, and land-based alternatives, according to the Cruise Lines International Association’s (CLIA) State of the Cruise Industry Report 2025. Globally, 34.6 million people cruised in 2024, a 9.3% increase on 2023, and CLIA forecasts 42 million passengers by 2028.

In South Africa, Flight Centre’s own Year in Travel 2025 data shows that 69% of South Africans are considering a cruise holiday. A remarkable figure that reflects both the growing awareness of what cruising offers and the particular appeal of its combination-holiday structure:

• A Mediterranean cruise paired with a few days in Rome or Barcelona before embarkation.
• An East African coastal cruise followed by a Zanzibar beach stay.
• A Cape Town to Durban coastal sailing with stops along the Garden Route.

The cruise provides the variety and ease, while the land experience (before or after) provides the depth and the sense of place that makes the whole trip that much more memorable.

Turner speaks passionately about how the cruise conversation has completely changed in South Africa:

“Cruising used to be seen as something for retirees, but we’re now seeing families, couples, solo travellers, and young travellers discovering that a cruise is actually the most efficient way to have a combination holiday and explore multiple destinations in a single trip. It’s also the most naturally multi-generational holiday format available. 28% of cruise travellers globally sail with three to five generations, making it a particularly compelling option for South African families.”

Bleisure

The fourth combination is the one most South Africans are already taking without calling it by name. Flight Centre’s Global PR Survey found that nearly two in three working South African travel intenders have combined or intend to combine business and leisure travel in the future, and South Africans lead every other market surveyed in having already made the leap, with 36% confirming they’ve done so.

• A business trip to London extended into a Cotswolds weekend.
• A conference in Singapore followed by four days in Bali.
• A corporate event in Nairobi with a Masai Mara add-on.

Ultimately, South African travellers are unwilling to settle for a trip that delivers only one thing when the opportunity to deliver more is right there.

Why combination holidays are more difficult to plan than they seem

The appeal of the combination holiday is obvious. The execution is less so.

Multi-component itineraries are more complex to plan, more dependent on correct sequencing and timing, and more exposed to disruption when one element fails. In the current travel environment, where routing options are shifting and flexibility in bookings matters more than it has in years, the combination holiday is also the format where the gap between a well-planned trip and a stressful one is widest.

This is precisely where expert guidance delivers its most tangible return. Flight Centre’s Global PR Survey found that 97% of South African travel intenders see value in using a travel agent. The reasons they give are telling: peace of mind if things change or go wrong at 62% and assistance with complex or multi-destination itineraries at 54%.

The CLIA data makes the same point from a different angle: 79% of cruise travellers say travel agents have a meaningful impact on their decision to cruise, and Net Promoter Scores, the standard measure of customer satisfaction, are consistently higher among cruise travellers who book through a professional travel advisor than those who book independently. Satisfaction, it turns out, is not just about the destination, but about how well the whole thing was put together.

The future of Saffa travel

Rather than becoming more demanding, South African travellers are becoming more deliberate.

“The combo holiday is the expression of that intentionality, and the travel industry, from Club Med’s extraordinary KZN opening to the global cruise boom now reaching South African shores, is finally building the experiences to match it. We look forward to seeing what’s next!” Turner concludes.

Johannesburg – If you want to know where South African business is being done in 2026, just take a look at Corporate Traveller’s booking data. One of South Africa’s leading travel management companies (TMCs) for small- to medium-sized businesses, their top four international destinations have remained the same for the past three years: Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya and the United Kingdom.

And although there’s been some jostling for position, they’ve consistently dominated the top of the table. Three African neighbours and one long-haul anchor – each with compelling reasons to stay a little longer.

Bleisure still firmly on the agenda

Yes, flights will cost you more this year. Middle East airspace disruption is in partial recovery – Emirates announced on 4 May that it had restored 96% of its global network – but the knock-on effects remain. Rerouted long-haul flights are running between two and five hours longer than pre-crisis on many routes, and the price of jet fuel has more than doubled over the past month.

The cumulative effect is simple. Getting your people to a meeting in Lusaka or London now costs much more – be it in money, hours or traveller fatigue – than it did a few weeks ago. Which is precisely why bleisure is about to look a lot more attractive to South African business travellers, and a lot more sensible to the people approving their trips.

As Herman Heunes, GM of Corporate Traveller, explains, the smart play is to make every flight count for more.

“We’re seeing clients batch their meetings, sequence their itineraries more carefully and build in incentive opportunities, where you combine business and leisure,” says Heunes. “If you’ve already paid for the flight, the carbon and the time away, you may as well get more out of being there.”

That “more” is increasingly bleisure – the practice of tacking a few personal leisure days onto a business trip – and the data shows it has crossed firmly from perk into policy.

The Global Business Travel Association’s Industry Outlook poll, published in October last year, found that 43% of corporate travel programmes now have defined bleisure policies, with 71% of buyers citing improved employee satisfaction. Research from Skift puts the figure even higher: 60% of business travellers took a blended trip in 2024.

There’s a retention story underneath those numbers too. International research consistently shows that employees who travel for work are more likely to stay with their employer, with the figure climbing to over 75% among Gen Z. For SMEs that can’t match multinational salaries, a thoughtful bleisure policy is one of the highest-leverage, lowest-cost levers available, even in the face of cost pressures.

Planning a trip?

Zambia, which has held Corporate Traveller’s number-one spot for three years running, is at its most spectacular right now. Victoria Falls is at near-peak flow following the rains, and the Lower Zambezi and South Luangwa camps are reopening for the dry season. A Lusaka meeting could extend into a Livingstone weekend, and May to June is a shoulder window with rates noticeably softer than the July-to-September peak. For seriously memorable incentives consider a Victoria Falls sunset cruise, a private bush walk or a game drive in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park.

Short on time? Lusaka itself rewards a single free day: a guided tour through the Kabwata Cultural Village for handwoven crafts and traditional Nyama Choma, the Lusaka National Museum for a feel for the country’s history, and a short drive out to the Lilayi Elephant Nursery to watch orphaned calves at feeding time.

Tanzania is similarly well-timed. The Great Migration is moving through the central and western Serengeti, with herds heading towards the Grumeti River crossings in June – a less-photographed but equally dramatic counterpart to the Mara crossings later in the year. Travellers in Dar es Salaam or Arusha can extend into a three-night Serengeti add-on, or build in a Zanzibar weekend if the calendar, commitments and budget allow.

A day to spare? Catch a boat from Dar’s famous Slipway to Bongoyo or Mbudya Island for white sand and snorkelling or stay on the mainland for the colourful chaos of Kariakoo Market, grilled octopus and live music on Coco Beach, and an evening of Swahili seafood somewhere on the waterfront.

Kenya is in a similar rhythm. The long rains are tapering, and the Maasai Mara is in its build-up to the river crossings that begin in earnest in July. The Great Migration remains a bucket-list trip for many – and incentive or reward like no other.

A gap in your itinerary?

Nairobi rewards the time generously. A half-day safari in Nairobi National Park puts lions and rhino within sight of the city skyline, while the Giraffe Centre and Karen Blixen Museum make for an easy afternoon in the leafy Karen suburb. For those with a free weekend, a 4×4 transfer down the Rift Valley delivers cycling and boating at Hell’s Gate and Lake Naivasha – or, with a single short flight from Wilson, the Maasai Mara itself.

And then there’s the United Kingdom, which offers what is arguably the most obvious bleisure or incentive opportunity: Wimbledon, running 29 June to 12 July. For travellers with London meetings in late June or early July, it’s the easiest extension on the calendar. The public ballot has closed, but hospitality routes and Debenture options remain available, and the queue system still allows same-day ground passes for those happy to queue (and soak up the atmosphere). Beyond the tennis, London in the summer is hard to beat: think long days, Thames cruises, pub lunches, Kew Gardens, shopping and more.

With flight costs and traveller fatigue both climbing, a smart bleisure or incentive add-on is one of the easiest ways to stretch the value of a trip your team is already taking: a thank-you that doubles as a productivity boost, and a chance for your people to see Africa and London in a light no boardroom ever offers.

It pays, though, to do it properly. Heunes says a good TMC will help you design itineraries that work, negotiate the right rates and, importantly, build in the duty-of-care considerations required. “The trip is already happening,” says Heunes. “Chat to your TMC about making it an unforgettable one, even in the current climate.”

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MEDIA CONTACT

For more information about Corporate Traveller, or to interview Corporate Traveller South Africa GM Herman Heunes, call Sonnette Fourie on 081 072 2869 or email sonnette@bigambitions.co.za.    

About Corporate Traveller

Corporate Traveller is a division of the Flight Centre Travel Group, dedicated to saving businesses across Southern Africa time and money. Corporate Traveller has the benefit of being part of the world’s third-largest travel retailer, leveraging its global negotiating strength. It has access to over 50 of the world’s leading airlines and deals with more than 100 000 hotels around the world to guarantee savings for clients. Corporate Traveller provides clear, consolidated reporting of all its clients’ travel activities, helping them to control travel spend and identify opportunities to save costs.

Issued by:

Big Ambitions

Sonnette Fourie

sonnette@bigambitions.co.za

+27 81 072 2869

Table of Contents

JOHANNESBURG – FCM is urging South African corporate travel managers to act immediately to secure seats and lock in flexible fares, as the Middle East conflict triggers a severe capacity squeeze and unprecedented price volatility on key international and local routes.

With more than 30,000 flights cancelled globally since 28 February, the disruption has landed hard on South African businesses. Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad – historically the backbone of long-haul corporate travel from South Africa – have seen ticket volumes collapse by 56% since the crisis broke. Qatar Airways has been the worst-affected, with ticket sales down 77%.

The knock-on effect has been immediate. As corporates scramble to rebook on alternative carriers, seat availability has evaporated and fares have surged. In some cases, FCM consultants have watched business class fares to Europe breach R200,000, and climb further within hours.

“The volatility is unlike anything we’ve seen in recent memory,” said Jaco Brits, Head of Sales and Account Management at FCM South Africa. “We’re quoting a fare, and by the time approval comes back, the price has moved significantly. Seats that existed in the morning are gone by the afternoon.”

Where the volume is going

FCM’s booking data reveals a significant shift in how South African corporates are reaching Europe and Asia. Ethiopian Airlines has emerged as the biggest single beneficiary, with ticket volumes up 21% and revenue up 29% as Addis Ababa becomes the most practical Africa-to-Europe and Africa-to-Asia connection that avoids closed airspace entirely.

European carriers are absorbing significant overflow, with Lufthansa recording a 92% increase in tickets booked and 74% revenue growth from FCM customers. British Airways is up 34% in tickets and 57% in revenue, while Air France has seen a 64% ticket increase and 89% revenue uplift. The message is clear: the shift to these carriers comes with a significant price premium.

Asia-Pacific carriers are seeing the steepest growth from a smaller base. Singapore Airlines is up 120% in tickets and a remarkable 228% in revenue, with Cathay Pacific up 159% in tickets and 147% in revenue, which shows that Asia-bound corporate traffic is being structurally rerouted away from Gulf hubs.

“Corporates are finding ways to keep travelling, but the cost of doing so has fundamentally changed,” said Mummy Mafojane, General Manager of FCM South Africa. “Travel programmes built around Gulf hub connectivity are now exposed. The capacity simply isn’t there on alternative carriers to absorb this volume at pre-crisis prices.”

The death of the cheap, inflexible ticket

One of the most significant behavioural shifts FCM is observing is a move away from non-refundable, non-changeable economy fares. Where corporate bookers once defaulted to the cheapest available option, the current environment is forcing a rethink.

“We’re seeing customers who would never have considered a flexible fare now actively requesting them,” Brits said. “When economy class on an alternative carrier is sold out and the only available option is premium or business, a non-refundable ticket on a disrupted routing becomes a liability, not a saving.”

In several cases, FCM has seen travel managers decline trips altogether when requoted fares exceed policy thresholds, a dynamic that raises its own strategic concern for businesses with time-sensitive international commitments.

The advice from FCM is unambiguous: secure flexible fares now, book and pay in full, and do not wait for the situation to stabilise.

Not all travel is being rerouted, some is simply disappearing

Perhaps the most telling data point in FCM’s analysis is what is happening to travel destined specifically for the Middle East. Post-crisis, that number plummeted by 96%.  Crucially, FCM’s data analysts note that roughly half of this “lost” UAE volume was not rerouted onto substitute carriers. It simply disappeared, indicating outright trip cancellations.

“That tells you something important,” Mafojane said. “For some businesses, the combination of cost, complexity, and regional uncertainty has made travel unviable for now. When a company chooses to cancel a trip rather than rebook, that is a direct hit to business operations and deal-making. Companies need to be having these conversations at a strategic, executive level, not just at the travel desk.”

What SA travel managers must do now

FCM is urging South African travel managers to take three immediate actions:

1. Review budgets now. Travel programmes built before February are no longer financially valid on routes touching Europe, the Middle East, or Asia. Budget holders need to be briefed urgently on the scale of potential overspends.
2. Audit flexible fare and premium cabin policies. If your policy does not allow for premium cabin approval when economy is unavailable, you are creating a situation where critical business travel gets cancelled by default.
3. Check your insurance coverage. Most large South African corporates carry global insurance policies or bank-backed travel cover. These need to be urgently reviewed for war exclusions that may now apply to routes through the affected region.

“The businesses that will navigate this best are the ones that act now, not the ones waiting for Gulf hub operations to normalise,” Mafojane said. “A prolonged recovery is the most likely scenario. Build your travel programme around that reality.”

**ends**

For more information about FCM Travel call Sonnette Fourie on 081 072 2869 or email sonnette@bigambitions.co.za.

About FCM Travel:

FCM Travel, the flagship corporate travel brand at Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG), is the business travel partner of choice for large national, multinational and global corporations. We are an award-winning global corporate travel management company ranking as one of the top five by size around the world. We operate a global network which spans more than 100 countries, employing over 6000 people.

FCM are transforming the business of travel through our empowered and accountable people who deliver 24/7 service and are available either online or offline. Leveraging FCM’s negotiating strength and supplier relationships in conjunction with our tailored business travel programs, our expertise delivers more for our clients where it matters most to them.

Visit us at www.fcmtravel.co.za

Issued by: Big Ambitions

Contact: Sonnette Fourie

Tel: +27 81 072 2869

Email: sonnette@bigambitions.co.za

But as Sue Garrett, GM Supply, Pricing & Marketing at Flight Centre South Africa, explains, the real draw for South African travellers has always been the combination of price and product.

“The ME3 – as they’re popularly called – consistently offer competitive fares, modern aircraft, generous baggage allowances, strong frequencies from Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, and some of the world’s best inflight experiences,” she says. “Value-conscious South Africans have been exceptionally well served.”

According to Flight Centre’s booking data, Ethiopian Airlines, British Airways, Singapore Airlines, KLM, Lufthansa, Cathay Pacific and Qantas have all experienced a spike in demand since the beginning of March.

“Our Travel Experts are working hard to find the best available routes for our clients at the best possible price,” comments Garrett. “The reality is that demand for seats is outstripping supply, and rising jet fuel costs are pushing fares higher across the board. Our advice is to book early, remain flexible and be open to new routes and hubs.”

East: via Singapore and Hong Kong

Both Singapore Changi Airport and Hong Kong International Airport make perfect sense for travellers heading to Asia and Australia. 

Singapore Airlines is operating at its highest capacity since before the pandemic – with over 2,270 weekly flights scheduled over their summer, while Changi Airport is consistently rated the world’s best in Skytrax’s World Airline and Airport Star Rating programme.

South African passport holders don’t require a visa for Singapore, and stays of up to 30 days are permitted, which opens the door to a genuine stopover. Furthermore, the onward network from Changi is exceptional: Tokyo, Sydney, Bali, Bangkok, London and Auckland all connect cleanly.

Cathay Pacific out of Hong Kong is the other standout, with more than 80 international destinations and a particularly strong network across Asia (not to mention 4^th place in the 2026 Skytrax rankings for Hong Kong International Airport). South African passport holders are currently visa-free for short stays in Hong Kong, which lends itself beautifully to an exciting layover in the City of Skyscrapers.

Europe: a quiet comeback

European hubs have absorbed a significant share of displaced Gulf traffic. KLM (via Amsterdam) and Lufthansa (via Frankfurt and Munich) are both seeing strong demand from South African travellers, and the Johannesburg–London direct route on British Airways and Virgin Atlantic is particularly popular right now. That said, fares on these routes are under pressure due to capacity constraints, so booking early makes a meaningful difference.

Africa: a growing demand

Garrett says Flight Centre is seeing a significant increase in travel through Addis Ababa. “It’s easily Africa’s largest aviation hub with solid onward connections across Africa, Europe and Asia.”

If you intend spending a few days in Addis Ababa, South African citizens can get a tourist visa on arrival. Alternatively, you can apply for an eVisa before departure.

Travellers don’t typically need a visa to transit through Addis Ababa Bole International Airport – and Ethiopian Airlines offers compelling stopover packages for passengers with layovers between eight and 24 hours. These packages generally include a free hotel stay, transit visa, transfers and meal vouchers, with different (paid) options for curated city tours to explore local attractions. Garrett recommends chatting to your travel expert about the options and taking the opportunity to explore somewhere completely new.

“Kenya Airways also has various layover tours on offer,” she says. “They’re quick and competitively priced, which means if you’ve never been to Kenya before, you can tack on exciting city tours and even half-day safaris to Nairobi National Park from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.”

The unexpected upside

For Garrett, along with offering a different route to the same destination, alternative hubs also unlock entirely different networks. Some of the world’s most extraordinary travel is in easy reach for South Africans willing to look at the map with fresh eyes.

Routing via Singapore brings Thailand (and Phuket, a South African favourite), Japan, Vietnam, Bali and Sri Lanka onto the table. Hong Kong opens up Southeast Asia beautifully. And Ethiopian Airlines’ Addis Ababa hub serves more African destinations than almost any other carrier – a reminder that our continent still holds some of travel’s greatest rewards.

Travel smart

As Garrett explains, it’s a fast-moving landscape. Fares, availability and airline schedules are shifting by the day, and visa requirements are always worth a careful check before booking, particularly transit visas and visas for multi-stop itineraries. Flexibility on travel dates, attention to fare conditions and a willingness to consider new routing options will all make a real difference right now.

“The environment is still competitive. While capacity constraints and oil prices are driving fares up, there are still great accommodation deals to be found. Regional holidays, including perennial favourites like Mauritius, will become even more popular, so our advice is to book early. And ultimately, the Middle Eastern carriers will be back with great deals,” says Garrett.

Garrett also notes that, as of early April, Emirates and Qatar Airways have both increased capacity and are offering competitive pricing, though the situation remains volatile and could change at any time, so travellers are advised to confirm availability and fares before booking. The message? Stay positive and stay flexible. For South African travellers prepared to rethink the route, there may be more to discover than they expected.

It’s a beautiful picture, yes, but it tells only part of the story.

The Stellenbosch that reveals itself to those who look a little deeper, who wake early and follow a river instead of a map, is something else entirely. A place of genuine surprise, where the most memorable moments were never on the itinerary.

According to Annemie Liebenberg, CEO of Visit Stellenbosch:

“Stellenbosch has always been extraordinary. What has changed is the invitation. This year, we are moving beyond the highlights reel and asking a more meaningful question: what happens when you stop ticking boxes and start paying attention? The answer, captured in our promise of ‘Unexpected Firsts. Unforgettable Moments,’ is what this town has always quietly offered. Some places you visit. Stellenbosch, you experience.”

Here is what a single day of paying attention might actually look like – just one example of the thousands of incredible, unexpected “firsts” that await…

Sunrise: The Valley That Wakes Before the Town Does

There is a quieter, more intimate side of Stellenbosch that reveals itself in the early hours of the day.

Before the estates open their gates and the coffee shops pull back their shutters, the Dwarsrivier Valley (a stretch of raw, unhurried landscape framed by the Simonsberg mountains and threaded by the Dwars River) is already alive, offering the kind of stillness that makes you aware of your own breathing.

Accessible via the R310, roughly 10 to 20 kilometres from the town centre, the valley draws trail runners and mountain bikers who understand something others are only beginning to discover: that this landscape, at this specific time, is one of the most beautiful places in South Africa.

There are trails of varying lengths for both mountain bikers and runners, winding through rocky singletrack and open farmland with elevation gains that reward the effort with panoramic views across the valley floor. The paths suit a range of fitness levels, and local guides are available for those who prefer company over solitude.

Morning: A Gallery with No Walls

Come mid-morning, after a comforting cuppa and an energising breakfast, you can choose to follow the Eerste River and let it lead you somewhere special.

The Stellenbosch Art Mile is a 1.6-kilometre open-air gallery that runs along the riverbank from the Krige Street pedestrian bridge to the Coetzenburg bridge, crossing six bridges beneath a canopy of trees. It’s free and open around the clock, and it asks nothing of you except that you pay attention.

Various South African artists have placed their work along this route, including interactive metal sculptures and site-specific pieces tied to the river’s geology and history. Recent themes have explored concepts of reflection, time, and the layered human relationship with landscape. QR codes on many of the works connect to the artists directly, but there’s no gift shop and no queue.

For those who want to extend the morning, the Dylan Lewis Sculpture Garden sits just a short drive away on Paradyskloof Road: seven hectares of indigenous fynbos and mountain views populated by more than 60 bronze sculptures exploring wilderness and the deeper terrain of the human psyche. Visits are by appointment only, which means you’ll never share the encounter with a crowd.

Together, the two experiences form something rare: an art morning that feels genuinely discovered rather than consumed.

Midday: The Table You Were Not Expecting

Forget, for a moment, everything the word “tasting” conjures.

In the Kayamandi township, just minutes from the centre of Stellenbosch, Nocawe Piedt opens her home and her table to visitors in a way that changes what hospitality means in this part of the world. This is the Township & Village home dining experience, and it’s unlike anything else available in the Winelands.

The table is laden with traditional Xhosa dishes, like pap, chakalaka, samp, stew, spinach with potatoes, pumpkin with sweet corn, and chicken feet, alongside amagwinya, the traditional Xhosa beer that has been poured at celebrations here for generations. There’s dancing, drumming, storytelling, and the particular warmth of a community that has chosen to share its culture not as a performance, but as a genuine act of welcome.

It’s the most unexpected lunch in the Winelands. It is also, for many who experience it, the most unforgettable.

Afternoon: A Tasting That Tastes Like South Africa

The conventional wine tasting is not what Vergenoegd Löw had in mind when they created their Indigenous Tasting.

Spekboom. Bokkoms. Roosterkoek. Kaiings. Amasi. Dexter biltong. Kei apple. The Indigenous Tasting draws on ingredients that have sustained communities across southern Africa for centuries. Flavours that most visitors have never encountered and that most tasting rooms would never think to serve. Each element is paired with estate-grown wines that reflect what Vergenoegd Löw calls their “merroir”: the particular character of this specific place and this specific soil.

It’s a tasting that asks a quiet but significant question: how well do you actually know this land?

The answer, for most visitors, is not as well as they thought. Which is precisely the point.

Sunset: The Street That Becomes a Living Room

As the light turns golden and the oak trees cast long shadows across Drostdy Street, something shifts in Stellenbosch. The energy is contagious and everyone, locals and visitors alike, comes together to laugh, eat, sip, chat, and simply enjoy the moment.

The Stellenbosch Street Soirées, a summertime highlight, are among the most joyful expressions of what this town truly is at its core: a community that genuinely enjoys itself. Wine tokens in hand, visitors graze on street food and find themselves in conversations they never planned to have with people they never expected to meet.

No itinerary leads here, and no booking is required. You simply follow the music and let the evening unfold.

It is the perfect final note for a day that began in a misty valley and moved through river art, a township kitchen, and an indigenous wine pairing. A day that looked nothing like the Stellenbosch most visitors would imagine, and everything like the one they will spend years trying to describe to people who were not there.

Stellenbosch is only 40 minutes from Cape Town, or a scenic 25-minute helicopter transfer away, placing you within easy reach of your next unforgettable moment. For more information on experiences, visit www.visitstellenbosch.org

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Media Contact: visitstellenbosch@bigambitions.co.za