2025’s peak season is looking good
With travel trends evolving rapidly, Southern Africa is well-positioned to capture the attention of a diverse range of global travellers. The region’s unique blend of vibrant cultures, rich heritage, and breathtaking landscapes offers something for everyone, whether it’s adventurous safaris, bustling city escapes, or quiet retreats. As demand rises, the tourism industry is adapting quickly to meet expectations, embracing new ideas, technologies, and collaborations that promise to reshape the experience for both visitors and industry professionals alike.
Peak season looming
Leisure tourism across Southern Africa is showing strong momentum, with demand steadily climbing as travellers seek out the region’s iconic landscapes, wildlife experiences, and wide-open spaces. With the peak safari season about to begin — running from June through October — conditions are ideal for wildlife viewing, with dry winter weather thinning out vegetation and drawing animals to water sources.
From Botswana’s Okavango Delta to the plains of South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe, lodges and camps are gearing up for a busy period. Early indicators suggest strong international bookings and a renewed energy across key source markets, setting the stage for a promising 2025 tourism season.
Differentiating MICE travellers
At the same time, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) travel continues to present major opportunities for African destinations. However, success in this market depends on recognising that business travellers have different expectations from leisure tourists.
A panel at the recent WTM Africa entitled From Safaris to Summits: Reimagining African Destinations as Business Travel Hubs delved into this very subject and brought together leading hoteliers and incentive organisers from across the continent to challenge the status quo and explore how African destinations can evolve into thriving hubs for business travel and events, not just leisure.
The most competitive destinations are those that align tourism strategies with key economic sectors, invest in the right infrastructure, and create genuine networking opportunities. Infrastructure gaps remain a challenge in many places, with conference venues often outpacing available accommodation. Delivering memorable, differentiated experiences is crucial, particularly in the incentive travel space, where traditional “brochure” offerings no longer meet expectations. Destinations that get it right have a greater chance of converting business visitors into future leisure tourists.
New attraction for the Karoo
Adding further depth to the region’s offering, Graaff-Reinet’s new Karoo Origins Fossil Centre officially opened its doors to the public on 3 April. The centre, developed in collaboration with the University of the Witwatersrand, offers a fascinating journey into the palaeontological and geological history of the Karoo. It houses the Rubidge Fossil Collection — one of the world’s largest exhibitions of holotype specimens — showcasing 107 original reference fossils. The displays offer insight into the ancient Karoo landscapes, the rise of therapsid reptiles, and the devastating Permian mass extinction event 252 million years ago. It’s a thought-provoking new attraction for visitors and researchers alike, linking South Africa’s ancient past to global conversations about biodiversity and environmental change.
Southern Africa’s tourism and business sectors are clearly on the move, driven by fresh partnerships, new visitor experiences, and the return of peak seasonal travel. With so much happening across the region, the coming months promise plenty of opportunity — and plenty of reasons to visit.