Shorter trips were definitely a travel trend for 2019, and will continue into the new decade.

Christiaan Steyn, General Manager of Drifters Adventure Tours, says there is a definite increase in the demand for shorter tours that allows guests to combine several tours in various destinations, and in that way makes the most of ticking off ‘must-see’ places on their itineraries.

“These guests do not want to dedicate their entire holiday to one single tour or destination, but want to mix various destinations and see as much as possible,” he says. “We offer a mix of tours for every budget, from an affordable five-day tour in the Kruger National Park to an upmarket luxury canoe safari in Zambia.”

While the majority of guests still book two- to three-week tours (with a choice between camping or accommodated options), the Drifters Adventure Tours team have noted a big increase in the demand for shorter tours and say the company will continue to develop product that is true to this trend.

Steyn says the short five-day Kruger Park tour has been very successful in the past few years.

As mentioned in a previous article on Tourism Update, starting in January 2020 Drifters Adventure Tours will launch five new tours called Experiences.

“These tours are all short tours of basically one week that focus on specific destinations like Mozambique or, in some cases, a specific experience like a luxury canoe trip down the Lower Zambezi,” Steyn says.

Tourvest Destination Management also offers some options for those selling packages to clients who have limited time. Its three-day Safari and City Short Break includes Big Five viewing in Dinokeng, as well as Joburg highlights that offer sightseeing in Braamfontein and a cycle tour of Soweto. Tourvest’s short tours include three to five days in South Africa, as well as excellent day tour itineraries – the Amandla: Untold Stories Tour (Johannesburg); Cape Point Half Day Tour and Sun City and Pilanesberg, to mention just a few.

‘Micro-travel’ is a buzzword still going to make its presence felt on trend lists for 2020 and, while it’s not exactly aimed at the long-haul traveller, the notion of focused getaways and maximising key experiences will definitely form part of the planning phase. Less can certainly mean more.