Despite the prevailing tough economic environment, South Africa’s tourism industry is expected to be one of a few that will boost growth and create jobs this year, said First National Bank on Wednesday.
Among the four trends to look out for in the sector is “bleisure travel” in which travellers combine business travel with leisure time, FNB business executive Marcel Klaassen said. He noted that many companies were seeing more of their executives and employees jump on this bandwagon. Klaassen also noted a growing number of people who travel as a multi-generational family to spend more time together, while an overlooked form of tourism was medical-related, with a significant increase in the number of visitors from neighbouring countries coming to South Africa for medical treatment.