South Africans flock to coastal getaways: top holiday destinations revealed in travel data
The magic of summer and the allure of South Africa's beautiful coastline has once again mesmerised holidaymakers as they flocked to coastal towns during December 2024.
According to the latest findings by Lightstone, the country's idyllic seaside getaways proved to be the preferred holiday destination last festive season, with notable increases in petrol station activity along major national roads leading to these beloved hubs.
Lightstone's comprehensive analysis compared data from October to December 2024, utilising anonymised telemetry data made available by Tracker.
Mohit Narotam, Managing Director at Lightstone Retail, although acknowledging the trend of beach-goers, pointed out that many South Africans opted to stay closer to home as well.
The run-up to Christmas saw remarkable activity at shopping malls, with four of the top ten large malls based in Gauteng. Narotam stated: "While many headed for the ocean for their Christmas break, it’s clear that those who stayed home also sought festive enjoyment through local shopping experiences."
Getting to the coast
The data released by Lightstone reveals that service station stops across South Africa's national highways spiked by 5% from October to December 2024, with coastal routes and links from the interior being significantly busier.
The N1, which connects Cape Town to Beit Bridge, saw an impressive 29% increase in activity. Meanwhile, the N3 linking Johannesburg to Durban experienced an even more remarkable 46% uptick in stops.
Other roads also saw increased traffic, with the N2 (running along the southern and eastern seaboard) up by 19%, and the N4 increasing by 14%.
However, the N12 connecting George to Johannesburg showed modest growth at 4%, whereas the N14 fell by 17%.
The influx of travellers to three major airports during this period, particularly 530,000 visits to OR Tambo International Airport, adds another layer to the bustling holiday atmosphere.
Favoured destinations
So, where exactly are these holidaymakers headed? Remarkably, eight out of South Africa's top 15 holiday destinations during December are located in the Western Cape, with four in KwaZulu-Natal and three in the Eastern Cape.
Mossel Bay and Groot Brakrivier topped the list, accompanied by surf hotspots like Jeffreys Bay and perennial favourites such as Plettenberg Bay and Stillbaai.
Interestingly, some towns experienced considerable population surges this festive season compared to their usual figures.
Buffalo Bay outside Knysna and Nature's Valley near Plettenberg Bay saw impressive seasonal booms, a trend mirrored by thirteen of the fifteen towns residing within the Western Cape borders.
The Eastern Cape also observed notable increases, highlighting the consistent draw of the coastal getaways.
As Narotam muses, "Those living in coastal provinces - Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western Cape - were less inclined to travel inland. However, those from the interior passionately embraced the journey towards our stunning coastlines.”
This sentiment encapsulates the seasonal phenomena that contribute to South Africa's vibrant festive culture.