With the global community exploring huge ‘comeback’ options, South Africa is not left out as it is looking into the travelling population of youths into the country.
This is just as global tourism experts rate youth between 18-35 as a key driver of the industry after the pandemic.
A recent report by southafrica.com reports that so many questions have continued to be posed by the world tourism communities on what would be the bailout of a comatose sector which has been worst hit by the pandemic.
In a similar vein, the Swiss-based World Tourism and Travel Council (WTTC) has been pondering as to what a ‘new normal’ for the sector will look like and believes that younger travellers in the 18-35 age group, who appear to be less vulnerable to COVID-19, may be among the first to begin travelling once again.
This grouping fits into the population segment born roughly between the early-‘80s and the very end of the ‘90s, depending on whose parameters you use.
Popularly known as the Millennials,this group have long been a darling of the travel industry and studies published in 2019 showed that Millennials spent US$200-billion on travel in 2018.
Furthermore, their propensity to travel is greater than other generations. On average, 82% of millennials travelled annually prior to coronavirus, compared with 75% of all other generations. They also took 5.6 trips per year, compared with a much lower 4.4 (Gen-Z), 4.0 (Gen X) and 3.5 (Baby Boomers).
In South Africa, it’s much the same picture. SA Tourism’s 2018 Annual Report indicated that youth tourists (which it classified at those aged 34 years or younger) accounted for 57% of international tourists (10.5-million people) who visited South Africa, and 49% of total domestic trips (17,7 million). Excluding African-based tourists, youth travel accounted for 46% of total overseas visitors to SA.
A senior consultant with advisory firm BDO South Africa in a report published in late 2019 said “The traditional view of youth travel is that of the budget or backpacker segment. The truth is that the youth market is far more nuanced.
“While it does tend to focus on affordable tourism products, it is in fact part of the travel mainstream and should not be consigned to the peripheral.
Debedu further pointed out that, in many ways, South Africa still offers a legacy travel product aimed at an overseas market that is fast disappearing.
“The pool of retired folk from Europe who want to visit Cape Town and the Kruger in a tour bus is no longer enough to build our destination. Given the aspirational nature of young people in general, it is important for tourism operators to provide a youthful offering with premium features or standards to appeal to this market,” he said.
According to reports, In 2017, the youth accounted for 23% of the 1,3 billion international arrivals, according to the World Youth & Student Educational (WYSE) Travel Confederation New Horizons Survey1. The average youth trip spend has more than doubled since 2002, and youth travellers generated about $280bn in tourism receipts in 2016.
The South African Tourism 2018 Annual Report, highlights that youth (tourists younger than 34 years) accounted for 57% of international tourists (10.5 million tourists) that visited South Africa and 49% of total domestic trips (17,7 million). Excluding African tourist, youth travel accounts for 46% of total overseas tourists to South Africa.
By Francis Ogwo
SOURCE: southafrica.com
