Because the Easter holidays method, insights from a Cape City Tourism (CTT) journey survey for April 2026 present that whereas international uncertainty impacts sentiment, South Africans are nonetheless travelling, with a transparent desire for home journeys and value-focused selections.
Over half of respondents (54%) plan to journey this April, with 94% selecting home journey.
Solely 6% are going overseas.
Value stays the principle issue influencing journey selections. Greater than half of respondents (51%) cite private monetary stress as a key constraint, whereas 49% point out rising residing prices and 45% cite gasoline prices.
This stress has now intensified, with South Africa’s April 2026 gasoline value adjustment including R3.06 per litre to petrol and greater than R7 per litre to diesel, regardless of short-term levy reduction introduced by the federal government.
“Even below stress, the need to journey hasn’t gone away,” says Enver Duminy, CEO of Cape City Tourism. “What’s modified is how folks outline worth. It’s not nearly price, however about experiences that really feel significant, restorative, and simple to entry. That’s the place the trade wants to reply, by making journey extra attainable, versatile, and related to how South Africans are selecting to discover proper now.”
Journey behaviour displays this shift. Journeys are shorter, with 51% of travellers staying for 3 to 4 nights, whereas 57% reserving inside just a few weeks of departure. Street journey stays the most well-liked possibility, with 77% selecting to drive. Self-catering and staying with buddies or household additionally stay in style, inexpensive selections.
Spending can also be below stress. Almost half of travellers (48%) anticipate to spend lower than in earlier years, reducing again primarily on consuming out (36%), common bills (24%), and transport (23%).
Regardless of these pressures, the need to journey stays robust, pushed primarily by relaxation, reconnection and high quality time. Rest, psychological well-being, and household time are the principle motivations, with most journeys taken with companions and kids.
Cape City stays the most well-liked home vacation spot, reinforcing the attraction of native journey that provides selection, comfort, and robust worth.
“As extra South Africans select home journey, the town is well-placed to satisfy that demand,” says the Metropolis of Cape City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Financial Development and Tourism, Alderman James Vos. “Guests can get pleasure from a variety of experiences, from seashores and nature to tradition and delicacies, with out travelling far, making it simpler to maximise each time and funds.”
Whereas 49% of respondents say international battle has decreased their need to journey, solely 10% cite geopolitical considerations as a direct issue of their April plans, properly beneath the influence of economic stress.
“Proper now, travellers are usually not merely asking the place to go. They’re asking what’s price it,” says Duminy. “The companies that make journey simpler, extra versatile, and genuinely good worth would be the ones folks select first.”
The put up South Africans nonetheless travelling, however tighter budgets and gasoline hikes are driving home selections appeared first on Cape City Tourism.
