CHENNAI: The contribution of Indians to South African tourism has led to a nearly $1.1 billion, with a large number of Indians turning experiential tourism in African countries, said South Africa Tourism officials recently at a media meet.
Addressing the media about their new India-centric campaign ‘Wow in Every Moment’, Hanneli Slabber, country manager, South African Tourism India (SAT) noted, “Indian travellers aren’t cash-poor, they’re time poor.
They want to experience more within a limited time-frame, and they also tend to travel with three generations together — grandparents, parents and children. So each member requires a different activity to keep them engaged over the course of the stay.”
The South African tourism industry registered a growth of nearly 27% in Indian arrivals, she added, stating that the draw for people from South India, especially Chennai, was the addition of tailored activities for the Indian market.
“Chennai is one of those cities where golfing and cricket are big draws. So South Africa has also seen a big boom in golf and cricket tours that are drawing a lot of visitors,” Hanneli added.
Officials from different tourism divisions including Cape Town, Durban, and Plattenburg also briefly introduced the various attractions for Indian tourists, including the Inanda Route in Kwa-Zulu Natal province, which retraces the steps of Mahatma Gandhi who had made it his base during his time in the country. It is today regarded a heritage route.
Darryl Erasmus, chief quality assurance officer, Tourism Grading Council South Africa (TGCSA) also focused on the stringent quality checks and vetting that would ensure that Indian tourists in South Africa had the best experiences.
“We strive to maintain legal compliance, safety and hygiene and would draw Indians, especially the family and wedding crowd, to the country to experience what we have to offer.”