Tourism Economic Impact Briefing

In the dynamic landscape of global tourism, the strength of a destination's brand is a critical force that can shape travel behaviours, influence decisions, and ultimately drive arrivals.

South Africa has made a concerted effort to bolster brand perception in a bid to yield a growing brand to attract visitors from across the globe.

South African Tourism has invested in building the brand; and has been on a journey of brand transformation over the years, steadily enhancing its appeal on the global stage.
Awareness levels for SA as a travel destination increased from 68% to 71% from 2022 to 2023, while positivity remained stable at 40%. In the USA, awareness is at 81% and positivity at 56%. Kenya has an awareness level of 51% and positivity at 24%. South Africa's global closure ratio remained strong, with a rate of 1 in 1.34 in 2023, indicating a high conversion rate of travellers who seek information about South Africa and then visit.

The perceptions of key experiences linked to South Africa as a travel destination remains strong. Attributes such as 'Nature and Wildlife' and 'Adventurous' have witnessed marked improvements, with scores rising to 6.03 / 7 in 2023 (from 5.99 / 7 in 2022) and 5.94 / 7 in 2023 (from 5.92 / 7 in 2022) respectively. Moreover, the enduring appeal of 'Beautiful scenery', 'Experience a different culture', and 'Going on a safari' underscores South Africa's strong appeal as a leisure destination.
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