The vast majority of respondents to our latest poll have expressed their opinion that luxury train travel remains an attractive tourism offering in Southern Africa despite the recent freak collision between the Rovos Rail and freight trains in Zimbabwe.
A majority of 73% of respondents said luxury train travel is still an attractive option for tourists visiting the region. Just 16% said it isn’t while 11% were “unsure”.
The April 18 Rovos Rail incident involved a Victoria Falls-bound train carrying 47 tourists. No guests sustained injuries but several staff members were injured.
Are high-end lodges getting too pricy?
Rhino Africa Founder and CEO David Ryan recently told Tourism Update that steep annual rate increases at high-end lodges are threatening South Africa’s value-for-money proposition and deterring some international tourists.
“Despite the fact that South Africa has yet to return to its pre-COVID arrival numbers, we continue to see significant rate increases. Rather than using pricing as a strategic lever to accelerate recovery and stimulate broader visitor growth across multiple sectors, we risk entrenching the shortfall,” Ryan said.
After several years of steep post-COVID increases, lodges are increasing their rates by smaller increments in 2025/26 but the 8-12% average is still above inflation.
We want to know your thoughts on whether the increasing rates at high-end lodges are posing a significant threat to South Africa’s competitiveness as a destination.
Our poll question this week is:
