All-inclusive holidays in high demand as South African wallets feel the pinch

Demand for all inclusive holidays are surging as South Africans opt for a one-stop shop approach to holidaymaking.

Tour operator Marian Sandu of Africa Stay said that enquiries for package holidays have seen a sharp rise compared to previous years and, he added, demand for getaways that include meals and drinks are now higher than at pre-pandemic levels.

Sandu said: “Destinations like Zanzibar, which despite the exchange rate disadvantage still offer good holiday value with four- and five-star hotels and all inclusive packages, has seen a massive surge in interest for year-end holidays.”

He said that cash-pressured consumers are comparing the cost of a local holiday, that rarely offer board and bite together, then add the cost of fuel or flights, and on top of it the daily pressures of entertainment costs, and are coming up answerless.

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Tallying the costs

A four-star hotel room in Cape Town can cost between R1 300 and R3 000 on a bed and breakfast basis.

Add to that a daily restaurant bill of around R1 000 for a family of four, a small car rental at around R450 a day, and a daily entertainment budget of R1 000.

Flights on FlySafair for a family of four between Johannesburg and Cape Town are presently priced at around R 2 900 per person during peak season.

A seven-day, four-star break in Cape Town for a family of four in December is estimated to cost between R45 000 and R50 000.

A similar holiday in Durban is estimated to cost about R5 000 less, while a self-catering holiday, with allowance for two dinners at a restaurant, entertainment, fuel, tolls and padkos along with decent accommodation could set consumers back as much as R 30 000 for a great escape.

Island holidays comparatively more affordable

Sandu said that a high season break for a family of four in Zanzibar can still be picked up on select dates at around R 45 000 including three meals daily, drinks and accommodation.

Island holidays like Mauritius are presently priced, at the lower end, at around R 25 000 per person on the Thompson’s website.

South Africans can also holiday at the high-end Maldives archipelago from around R 33 000 on an all-inclusive basis, according to the Pentravel website, which also quotes a 3-star experience in Seychelles from just under R 19 000.

Flight Centre lists the cheapest countries to travel to from South Africa on holiday. At the top of its list is Thailand, followed by Zanzibar, Bali and Turkey.