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Markets that have experienced significant growth over the last six months, and that already have over 1 000 arrivals include Saudi Arabia and Ireland. Arrivals from Saudi Arabia are up 56% for the first six months of the year, compared with 2015. By comparison, overseas arrivals are up 19% for the same period compared with 2015.
Tourism Minister, Derek Hanekom has highlighted this market as a growth market for SA, citing May arrivals of over 1 000. “We will watch with interest to see if these numbers are sustained from this relatively small, but high-spending market,” he said.
Arrivals from Saudi Arabia were up 192% in May compared with the same month last year.
The stats have been questioned but Tourism Update verified them with Stats SA, who confirmed the figures were correct.
Rob Hetem, Director of Tamrich Tours, describes the May figure as a “statistical anomaly”. He says that May is usually a very quiet month and that the peak travel period from this market is generally during the months of July and August following Ramadan.
However, Hetem comments that Tamrich Tours, active in the Saudi Arabian market, has experienced year-on-year growth as a result of the favourable exchange rate and the notion of South Africa as a ‘safe’ destination. Arrivals from Saudi Arabia for the first six months were recorded at 3 104 in 2014, 2 520 in 2015, and 3 934 in 2016. Compared with 2014, arrivals from this market are up 27%.
Arrivals from Qatar have also increased. “South Africa has now become a preferred tourism and family destination for many Qataris, according to ambassador, Sa’ad Cachalia, who noted that the embassy had issued 604 visas to Qataris this year,” reported Gulf Times.
The ambassador noted that the number of visitors from Qatar had increased by 66% between 2014 and 2015. Arrivals from Qatar have not been isolated by Stats SA.
Other markets that have shown growth of more than 15% from a base of at least 1 000 arrivals include Ireland, with arrivals for the first six months up 18% compared with 2015. For the first half of the year, a total of 13 027 arrivals were recorded in 2014, 12 592 in 2015, and 14 884 in 2016. Ireland is up 14% compared with 2014.
Source: tourismupdate.co.za
