City Lodge Hotels COO Lindiwe Sangweni-Siddo reported occupancy rising from 58% to 66%, alongside increases in revenue, average room rates and profit
South Africa's tourism and hospitality sector is showing broad-based positive momentum, with hotel occupancies, forward bookings and game reserve visitor numbers all trending upward, according to industry executives speaking at CNBC Africa's CEO Business Breakfast Series: Tourism Dialogue in Sandton on 29 September. City Lodge Hotels COO Lindiwe Sangweni-Siddo said the group's occupancy rate rose to 66% from 58% in its latest reporting period, alongside growth in revenue, average room rates and profit, while FlySafair Chairman Blacky Komani said forward bookings extending into 2027 continue to show positive momentum, with international perceptions of Johannesburg from key markets including the United States more constructive than many locally assume. Dinokeng Game Reserve reported a 25% year-on-year increase in visitor numbers, with its public - private partnership having created more than 1,000 jobs in recent years at the Big Five reserve located within the Gauteng city region.
Despite the positive indicators, executives identified several structural gaps still constraining growth. Speakers called for better packaging and marketing of linked tourism experiences within Gauteng - noting the absence of a regular bus service between Johannesburg hotels and Dinokeng as a specific example - and argued that South Africa's world-class assets in wildlife, wine, beaches and culture remain insufficiently connected for both domestic and international travellers. Stronger long-haul air connectivity, greater integration across digital booking platforms and wider use of AI to help operators cross-sell experiences were highlighted as priorities for the sector's next phase of growth. Domestic tourism was described as the bedrock of the sector, with inbound travel expected to build on that local base as international airlift capacity continues to recover.
Source: CNBC Africa
