in theory, UK travellers want to travel to Langebaan
Data released by online travel planning platform Vacaay reveals that United Kingdom (UK) travellers would most like to visit Langebaan Beach.
This is good news for South Africa’s tourism sector, which is taking strain under the current lockdown restrictions, coupled with a severe lack of international tourists due to travel advisories and entry bans from several countries, including the United Kingdom.
With more than 500 000 UK travellers creating their bucket-list itineraries via the trip planning platform, Vacaay reports that more British users included the Western Cape’s Langebaan Lagoon in their itinerary than any other beach in South Africa.
Whilst not the first beach you would expect international visitors to flock to, it is understandable why Langebaan Lagoon was voted number one, with its powder-soft white sand and crystal-clear, calm waters making it one of the safest beaches to swim in the country.
While UK travellers do not seem to have forgotten about South Africa through the extended period during which they have been discouraged by UK authorities from visiting SA, they do however, appear to be keen on avoiding traditional hotspots such as Camps Bay and Clifton Beach, in favour of lesser frequented beaches outside of the main centres.
Vacaay’s CEO Pete McKeon said COVID-19 has reshaped the tourism industry, with holidaymakers preferring to steer clear of built-up areas, in favour of more secluded destinations.
The United Kingdom was one of South Africa’s key tourism source markets prior to the onset of the global pandemic. The UK is still off limits to South African travellers regardless of vaccination status.
In May the United Kingdom introduced its “traffic light system” for all travellers arriving in the UK. Countries are classifying according to the level of risk posed to the UK when allowing their nationals to enter the UK. The system also restricting the visitation rights of UK residents to other countries through mandatory quarantines when re-entering the UK.
The UK has kept South Africa on the red list – the highest level of restriction – since the introduction of the “traffic light system”. This has severely reduced the number of travellers from the UK to South Africa.
