High airfares and lack of sustained marketing are the key factors hindering the performance of South Africa’s French market, which still lingers at more than 21% behind pre-COVID levels.
Arrivals from France totalled just under 63 000 between January and June this year – significantly down from over 80 000 recorded for the first half of 2019 and well below South Africa’s overall overseas arrival recovery rate of 89%. While the market remains South Africa’s fourth-largest overseas source market, the year-on-year growth rate of 0.1% is the worst of any of the country’s top 10 major markets.
“The annual increase in the French inflation rate post-COVID has been a significant contributor to the decline. In addition, while air routes between France and South Africa have mostly resumed, air fares remain significantly higher than pre-COVID, which is a deterring factor for budget-conscious travellers,” said Peter Siljeur, Tour Consultant at Cape Town-based African Eagle.
“Our data shows a steady incline in demand. However, we can’t get near 2019 figures. Group travel, especially from French tour operators, has been slower to return while independent travellers have shown more resilience,” Siljeur said.
“To stimulate growth from the French market, we would welcome collaboration with airlines to create more affordable and accessible airfares,” he added.
André Laget, MD of Akilanga, said his company has maintained volumes and gained market share in France through longstanding clients but forward bookings from Europe are softening across destinations due to political and economic uncertainty.
“Travel, being a non-essential spend, remains highly vulnerable in such times,” said Laget.
High hotel rates in Cape Town are driving shifts in itineraries, he added. “Whereas our French travellers generally travel through Eswatini and KwaZulu-Natal, rising Cape Town hotel rates have pushed many operators to redesign shorter “north loop” itineraries that focus on the essentials – historical sites in Gauteng, safari experiences and Cape Town – to remain within budget.”
Marketing campaigns lacking
Siljeur emphasised that South Africa lacks visibility compared to other long-haul destinations actively marketing to French travellers.
“We would like to see more sustained and targeted marketing campaigns in the French-speaking market through traditional channels and digital platforms,” he said.
Thibault Jeannin, MD of DMC Terra Africa, agreed: “We need stronger promotion efforts in the French market, in collaboration with local travel trade partners, along with the creation of sales tools and marketing content specifically tailored to French-speaking audiences.”
To further stimulate growth, the country needs “competitive accommodation rates, strong trade partner support, TV show exposure and careful management of destination affordability, particularly in the Cape”, according to Laget.
