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Part of this increase can be attributed to business travel. However, holidaymakers in particular have made a difference to this growth. Last year, 75% of all South Africans who travelled outside of SA were taking a holiday. And it's expected that at least 15%-20% more South Africans went overseas this year than in 1998.
There has been a surge in outward-bound travel since the start of October, with the Rugby World Cup an important drawcard. Millennium fever has also meant that most flights to destinations overseas in December and January 2000 are fully booked -- especially to Britain, Australia, the US and Mauritius, say travel agents.
Judging from the growing numbers of South Africans travelling abroad, it seems that there's less pressure on disposable income. Or could it be that overseas holidays have become more affordable?
Rennies travel services director Kathy Harris says cheap airfares are probably the main reason more South Africans are going on holiday overseas.
The cost of airfares to destinations overseas are now at 1992 levels, she says. And this is in nominal terms. In real terms, fares are considerably cheaper than they were seven years ago. For example, in November this year one could fly Johannesburg-London return for as little as R2 000 -- practically the cost of a return flight between Johannesburg-Cape Town.
Harris says airfares abroad bought in SA are among the cheapest in the world. This is largely due to stronger competition, with more than 50 foreign airlines landing at SA airports since 1994.
Avis Tourism & Leisure MD Ian Sandler says Avis figures confirm that more South Africans are going on holiday overseas. Last year, about 20% more RCI members resident in SA swapped timeshare for accommodation abroad than in 1997.
Sandler also cites the growing number of overseas airlines that now fly direct to SA. This has given South Africans access to many new -- and often more affordable -- holiday destinations. He also says that South Africans have become travel-wise over the past few years and seek cheaper holidays.
For example, there's a trend away from hotel accommodation to self- catering and timeshare options overseas. Those who do stay in hotels are inclined to scale down from four- or five-star to two- and three- star establishments. Wendy Hillson, GM of Thomas Cook Financial Services in southern Africa, says that continuing emigration is another factor making it cheaper to go on holiday abroad because most South Africans now have friends or family overseas with whom they can stay, saving thousands of rand in accommodation costs.
And one should also remember that not only the rand depreciated against major currencies such as the British pound and US dollar. This year, several countries' currencies lost ground faster against sterling and the dollar than did the rand. Compared with these currencies, the rand strengthened (see graph).
For instance, since the start of the year, the rand has gained 10% against the euro, 12% against the Turkish lira and nearly 40% against the Brazilian real.
The rand now has greater buying power than a year ago in all 11 European Union member countries and a number of others around the world.
