Travelling less, but are South Africans’ holidays getting longer?

Travelling less has become a reality for some South Africans as household budgets remain under pressure. 

The latest tourism figures show a complicated picture, however. Domestic travel remains substantial, but financial constraints are increasingly shaping when and how people travel. 

At the same time, recent figures show that some holiday periods are producing noticeably longer stays.

WHY ARE SOUTH AFRICANS TRAVELLING LESS?

Money is the clearest answer. South African Tourism’s Q1 2025 survey found financial constraints were the leading reason for not travelling. They accounted for 44.9% of responses, up from 31.8% a year earlier. 

The pressure continued, with financial reasons accounting for more responses as time went by.

Fuel adds an important layer to the calculation. Statistics South Africa reported that petrol was 19.3% more expensive year-on-year in July 2026. Diesel was 28.8% higher. 

Cape Town Tourism’s April 2026 survey found 51% of respondents cited personal financial pressure. Rising living costs affected 49%, while fuel costs affected 45%. 

HOW LONG ARE SOUTH AFRICANS STAYING?

The numbers reveal why travelling less can sometimes mean staying longer. Q4 2025 recorded an average domestic stay of 5.2 nights. That was up from 4.6 nights in Q4 2024.

Bednights increased by 42.8% during the same period. They reached 71.8 million, compared with 50.3 million a year earlier. Overnight trips also increased during the quarter.

The pattern was not consistent throughout 2025. Q1 recorded an average stay of 3.3 nights. That was slightly below the 3.4-night average recorded during Q1 2024. Q2 fell further to 3.2 nights.

The year-end figures therefore already provide the strongest recent evidence of longer domestic stays.

DOES TRAVELLING LESS MEAN TRAVELLING DIFFERENTLY?

South Africans are still spending heavily on domestic tourism. Government reported domestic tourism expenditure of R111.6 billion in 2025, compared with R102.2 billion from international tourism. 

The travel equation looks even tougher in the third quarter of 2026. Fuel costs have surged, with September petrol prices rising by R1.34 a litre. Diesel jumped by between R2.94 and R3.15 a litre. October promises even higher hikes.

That matters for domestic holidays, especially when driving remains central to South African travel. Household budgets must also absorb higher food, accommodation and everyday costs. Consumer inflation reached 4.5% in May, driven partly by rising fuel prices.

Travelling less can therefore mean making every trip work harder. For some households, several short breaks may no longer make financial sense. One longer stay can spread the cost of reaching a destination across more nights.

South Africans have not stopped wanting to travel. 

The numbers suggest that affordability is increasingly deciding how often they can do it. 

And in 2026, that calculation is becoming harder with every tank of fuel.