Travel & Leisure

Ahead of the peak holiday season, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) has issued a timely reminder to travellers. It urges everyone entering or leaving South Africa to use the SARS Online Traveller Declaration System. This step helps streamline processing at ports of entry.

You may have missed a recent entry in the growing list of aviation absurdities. On 15 October 2025, a United Boeing 767 departed Washington Dulles for Italy. The flight seemed normal during its first hour. Then the pilots reported a problem that sounded like a bad joke.

The hospitality industry is evolving rapidly, and coffee now serves as much more than a beverage. It has become a cultural touchpoint, a marker of quality and a vital part of the guest experience. As we move toward 2026, the role of specialty coffee continues to grow across hotels, restaurants and cafés.

With more South Africans embracing “bleisure” than ever before, leveraging SA’s 2026 public holidays offers a strategic edge for business travellers who want to mix work with meaningful downtime. According to Flight Centre Travel Group’s 2025 Global PR survey, 77% of South Africans have either combined business and leisure travel before or plan to do so in the future.

Incentive travel is making a strong comeback in South Africa, but not in the way it used to. Once defined by luxury and leisure, it is now being reimagined as a strategic business tool. This change aligns with employee well-being, sustainability and company culture.

Picture this: It’s peak travel season and you have left it until the last minute to book accommodation for that all-important conference. Now, your only options are a presidential suite in Sandton or a faded motel on the outskirts of the city. The motel comes with shared bathrooms and no sign of a Nespresso machine. Sound familiar?

Flying for work has always been a tug-of-war between cost and comfort. It usually means the finance team against the poor soul in seat 54B. On paper, economy looks like the obvious choice, especially for small teams on a budget. However, when you factor in recovery time, sick days and staff turnover, that “saving” may cost far more than you expect.

The numbers tell a sobering story. South Africa welcomed 5.85 million international tourists from January to July 2025. This marks a 14% increase over 2024. Yet, we remain frustratingly close and still far from our pre-pandemic peak. We are just 33,000 visitors short of 2019 levels, a mere 1%.

Portable chargers and power banks have become a carry-on essential to keep devices charged up for work or entertainment while travelling. But, with airlines changing on-board battery policies, travellers are being urged to be aware of new requirements and to rely on other measures to keep connected while in the air.

Chasing savings on business travel has become almost automatic for many organisations. With budgets under scrutiny and finance teams laser-focused on spend, booking the cheapest possible fare seems like an easy win.