Holidaymakers seeking value for money flock to ‘resorts on waves’
Holidaymakers seeking value for money flock to 'resort on waves'
The allure of onboard romance, all-you-can-eat buffet meals, drinks by the pool deck and live entertainment is seeing more and more South Africans sign up for cruise holidays. While domestic tourism is experiencing a downturn, local cruise operators say they are riding the crest of a tourism wave. According to the Transnet National Ports Authority, the number of people boarding cruise ships in South Africa more than tripled from 78,587 in 2007-08 to 278,421 in 2016-17. In contrast, a StatsSA domestic tourism survey released in March this year showed that domestic tourism declined from 2013 to 2015 - with the total number of day trips decreasing from 54.4-million in 2013 to 47.3-million in 2014 to 44 million in 2015. The cruise boom, say industry insiders, can be attributed to a shift in travel habits for passengers who traditionally had no appetite for sea travel but who now see value for money in floating holidays. Thaybz Khan, brand manager for US-based Cruises International, whic...
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