Travel & Leisure

Over the last eight years, travel and tourism has grown by 17.3% in the top ten fastest-growing global destinations. This rate speaks to the rapid growth of tourism and how the industry, and an increasing priority for countries seeking for new growth opportunities. In emerging markets tourism grew from 30% in 1980 to 45% in 2015 and is expected to reach 57% by 2030.

South Africa’s travel sector has welcomed announcements that enhanced security measures will be implemented at OR Tambo International Airport, saying it is at least...

Singapore, Helsinki and Zurich have come top in the 2020 Smart City Index, in a year that saw many European cities fall in the rankings. The Smart City Index ranks cities based on economic and technological data, as well as by their citizens’ perceptions of how 'smart'their cities are.

Airbnb launched in South Africa in 2015. Since then, the number of home hosts has grown to more than 35,000 with South Africans pocketing more than R3.8 billion over this time. The ripple effect of this booming Airbnb community has also proved significant, resulting in an economic impact of approximately R10 billion and supporting upwards of 22,000 jobs. So what’s the catch?

Africa’s hotel sector has the potential for further growth over the next five years. An increase in the number of foreign and domestic travellers, as well as an expansion in a number of hotel chains on the continent reinforces the hotel sector’s untapped potential for business growth.

The key to managing your business travel properly is knowing when to use technology and when to partner with a travel management company. There is a misconception in the market place amongst most SME businesses in South Africa when it comes to booking their business travels. The perception is that if you do it yourself, it will be quicker and cheaper.

While SARS confirms that it is not obligatory for South African residents travelling abroad to declare their personal effects when leaving the country, we encourage frequent travellers to do so to avoid any inconvenience or confusion.

There is promise after the storm, but good planning is needed by business owners in the restaurant, bar and events industry.

According to the recent Africa Wealth Report by Henley & Partners, titled 'Predetermined Bias: Comparing the Visa Rejection Rate of Africans versus the Rest of the World’, the rejection rate for African applicants seeking Schengen visas went up 12% in the last eight years, reaching a shocking 30%. This surpassed the global average by 12.5%.

The BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) nations have made significant inroads in South Africa’s tourism industry, which in turn has also generated business and economic growth.