South Africa’s cost-of-living squeeze is changing travel patterns by pushing households to adjust itineraries rather than cancel trips altogether, according to Cape Town Tourism CEO Enver Duminy, who says consumers are “adapting their itinerary and their travel programme” in response to rising everyday expenses. The core news event is persistent inflation and broader living-cost pressure, which is forcing discretionary spending—like holidays—to compete with essentials.
For a typical household, the direct cost shows up as less room in the monthly budget after groceries, electricity, school and transport are paid, meaning the same holiday now requires trade-offs: fewer nights away, cheaper room types, more self-catering meals, and stricter daily spend limits. Even when people still travel, they often shift from peak to off-peak dates, choose destinations closer to home, or share accommodation with family and friends to keep total trip costs within reach.
Transport costs play a practical role in these decisions. When fuel and road-trip expenses feel expensive relative to income, travellers tend to prioritise fuel-efficient vehicles, reduce long-distance driving, carpool, or switch parts of the journey to buses and other public transport where viable. The result is not necessarily fewer trips, but shorter distances, fewer excursions, and tighter planning to avoid unexpected spending.
For tourism businesses, this points to demand that is more price-sensitive and more focused on value: flexible packages, discounted midweek rates, bundled attractions, and transparent pricing become more important to convert interest into bookings. For households, the takeaway is that travel is increasingly being treated like a “managed expense” rather than a splurge—planned earlier, pared back, and shaped around the rising cost of basics rather than abandoned completely.
