South Africa has made a concerted effort to bolster brand perception in a bid to yield a growing brand to attract visitors from across the globe.

This is according to South African Tourism's Chief Marketing Officer, Thembi Sehloho, who states: “In the dynamic landscape of global tourism, the strength of a destination's brand is a critical force that can shape travel behaviours, influence decisions and ultimately drive arrivals.”

According to her, SA Tourism has invested in building the brand and has been on a journey of brand transformation over the years, steadily enhancing its appeal on the global stage.

Latest statistics show that this has paid dividends, with awareness levels for SA as a travel destination increasing from 68% to 71% from 2022 to 2023, while positivity remained stable at 40%.

In the USA, awareness is at 81% and positivity at 56%. Kenya has an awareness level of 51% and positivity at 24%. South Africa's global closure ratio remained strong, with a rate of one in 1.34 in 2023, indicating a high conversion rate of travellers who seek information about South Africa and then visit.

The perceptions of key experiences linked to South Africa as a travel destination remains strong. Attributes such as 'nature and wildlife' and 'adventurous' have witnessed marked improvements. Moreover, the enduring appeal of 'beautiful scenery', 'experience a different culture' and 'going on a safari', underscores South Africa's strong appeal as a leisure destination, highlights Sehloho.

Brand Strength Index

SA Tourism has created a Brand Strength Index which is a statistical model that measures the relationship between brand performance and arrivals. The model highlights elements that can be leveraged to improve the score, guiding the creation of targeted marketing to increase arrivals. The model focuses on arrivals and considers brand attributes such as functional attributes (affordability), emotional attributes (stature) and brand reach (awareness).

South Africa's brand strength score increased to 45.6 in 2023, up from 43.8 in 2022. The USA, a first-world travel destination, has an index of 55.7 while Kenya's score is 41.4, up from 40 in 2022. Although Kenya, a key competitor, also made progress in 2023, South Africa led the way with the most significant improvement in brand strength index scores.

Across diverse regions, the impact of brand strength varies, but its correlation with arrivals is evident, Sehloho points out. 

In the African land markets, where the brand strength index reigns strongest at 82, high levels of awareness (88%) and positivity (71%) serve as catalysts for visitor inflow. This score is fuelled by strong performance in awareness, stature and affordability.

Similarly, the African air market, buoyed by improving brand knowledge and key travel drivers, has seen a surge in interest towards South Africa, with a brand strength index of 71. South Africa also performs well on the affordability matrix.

Europe, despite its lower brand strength index score of 40.1, has witnessed a notable uptick in awareness, positivity, and intention to visit. The Americas, however, grapple with declining awareness (77% down to 75%) and positivity (37% down to 35%), compounded by barriers such as safety, perceived affordability and distance to get to South Africa.

“Yet, even in these challenging markets, the desire for South Africa's scenic wonders and cultural richness remains strong,” says Sehloho.

Understanding consumer behaviour

Sehloho notes: “Understanding the intricacies of consumer behaviour is paramount in leveraging brand strength to drive arrivals. Factors like positive word of mouth recommendations, relevant media exposure and personal safety perceptions are pivotal in shaping travellers' decisions. Addressing safety, affordability and the perception of geopolitical stability is crucial in dismantling barriers to travel and fostering growth.”

As evidenced by the increase in arrivals, the impact of enhanced brand strength is tangible. In 2023, South Africa experienced a 48.9% increase in total arrivals, showcasing significant expansion across key regions.

Notably, the African land market, constituting the biggest share of arrivals, witnessed an impressive increase of 52%, culminating in a total of 6.2 million arrivals. Moreover, regions such as Asia, Australasia, and the Middle East experienced substantial growth, with a notable increase of 60.7%, despite starting from a lower base.

Furthermore, Europe saw a commendable uptick of 38.2% in arrivals, while the Americas and African air markets experienced robust growth rates of 39.8% and 35.9%, respectively. These figures underscore how brand strength is a key driver of tourist arrivals across diverse geographic markets.

“As South Africa navigates the evolving tourism landscape, maintaining momentum in brand enhancement efforts is imperative to sustain growth and strengthen its position as a premier global destination,” says Sehloho.

Ultimately, she says, the story of tourism success hinges on building its brand identity. For South Africa, this means embracing affordability, distinguishing itself from competitors, and maintaining strong brand awareness.

“By continuing to build on these pillars and catering to the diverse experiences sought by consumers across various markets, South Africa can thrive as a well sought after travel destination.”

Data Sources: Brand Information: SAT Brand Tracker Survey, Arrivals: Stats SA