South Africans are some of the most wellness-motivated travellers in the world, but they’re also among the most likely to board a long-haul flight in search of what they may not realise exists right on their doorstep.
According to Flight Centre’s global PR survey, 83% of South African travel intenders say travel is essential to their mental health and overall wellbeing – the highest of any market surveyed globally (for context, only 54% of respondents in the UK and 61% of Canadians said the same).
The survey also demonstrates that 86% of Saffas prioritise slow and restful travel, including wellness retreats and spa experiences, and 87% actively seek quiet travel, looking for peace away from crowded destinations.
If the survey is anything to go by, in every measure of wellness travel motivation, South Africans lead the world.
Unfortunately, due to current geopolitical tensions and economic circumstances, for some South African travellers right now, the destinations that dominate the global wellness conversation feel a little further away than usual. Not out of reach, but perhaps requiring a bit more planning, budget, and patience than a restorative escape ideally should.
“Many South Africans undervalue – or simply aren’t aware of – what our own country can offer us,” says Antoinette Turner, General Manager, Flight Centre South Africa. “The wellness experiences that many are flying across the world to find – that deliver peace and quiet, natural beauty, a slower pace, and genuine restoration – exist here, often within a few hours of home, or less. Travellers who want Thailand or Bali but are feeling the long-haul travel pinch right now really don’t need to go far to find something equally extraordinary.”
What the science says about healing & wellness
Global wellness tourism spending reached US$830 billion in 2023 and is projected to exceed US$1.35 trillion by 2028. Wellness travellers spend approximately 41% more per trip than traditional tourists. With these figures in mind, it’s obvious we’ve all collectively decided that restoration is more of a necessity than a luxury.
And we’re not wrong. The wellness tourism boom is grounded in a growing body of research on what specific environments do to the human nervous system, and South Africa’s landscapes qualify on almost every count.
For instance, environmental psychologists Rachel and Stephen Kaplan identified what they called Attention Restoration Theory – the finding that natural environments, particularly those with the qualities of extent, fascination, and being-away, produce measurable cognitive and emotional restoration that urban environments can’t replicate. The Drakensberg’s mountain landscapes and the Winelands’ sensory richness, for example, all meet these criteria precisely.
Additionally, Japanese research on Shinrin-yoku (forest bathing) has demonstrated that time spent in natural environments reduces cortisol levels, lowers blood pressure, improves mood, and boosts immune function. South Africa’s indigenous forests and mountain environments offer these benefits in abundance.
Enough said!
Here’s a closer look at some of our country’s most precious wellness gems to consider for your next healing escape.
kind of therapy, and the Drakensberg is one of them.
The Drakensberg
There are places in South Africa where the absence of noise is so complete that it becomes its own kind of therapy, and the Drakensberg is one of them.
Rising to over 3,000 metres along the KwaZulu-Natal and Lesotho border, the Drakensberg is one of Africa’s great mountain ranges, and one of South Africa’s most profoundly restorative landscapes.
Little Switzerland Resort sits in the heart of this landscape, offering guided outdoor adventures, horseback riding, fly fishing, mountain biking, and bird watching, alongside a spa, crackling log fires, and all-inclusive hospitality (breakfast, afternoon high tea, and themed dinners) that removes every logistical concern and leaves nothing to do but be present. The Royal Natal National Park, with its extraordinary hiking trails and the famous Amphitheatre rock face, is also on the doorstep.
“For Gauteng-based travellers, the Magaliesberg and Waterberg offer a closer-to-home version of this experience, delivering revitalising mountain air and game-rich landscapes. A weekend is often enough to feel the difference,” comments Turner.
Umhlanga
Research on what scientists call “blue space therapy” has demonstrated that proximity to water reduces stress hormones and produces measurable improvements in mood and cognitive function.
The Oyster Box in Umhlanga has been delivering its own version of “blue space therapy” for generations. Perched on the historic beachfront promenade overlooking the Indian Ocean and the iconic Bay lighthouse, it’s one of our country’s most celebrated coastal hotels. The wellness offering here goes beyond the physical, allowing guests to consult with a traditional herbalist and connect with healing traditions that have been practised on the coastline for centuries. Then there’s the famous high tea experience, the chef’s table, and the oysters harvested daily from the resort’s exclusive oyster bed – all experiences that delight and nourish in the fullest sense of the word.
The Winelands
The Franschhoek Valley, with its mountains and extraordinary concentration of culinary and viticultural excellence, operates at a pace that is fundamentally incompatible with stress, promising slow travel in its most literal and most effective form.
The valley’s Franschhoek Boutique Hotel is surrounded by vineyards and promises intimate, unhurried hospitality that many larger properties generally can’t match. Most importantly, the entire breadth of Franschhoek’s wine route, its world-renowned restaurants, and its mountain trails are yours for the taking.
“The Winelands are South Africa’s answer to Tuscany or Provence,” says Turner. “But they’re ours, and they’re within an hour or two of Cape Town.”
Cape Town
Cape Town is famous for straddling some of the most extraordinary natural environments on earth, immediately accessible from a world-class city. Table Mountain, Camps Bay, Clifton, and the Cape Peninsula are all places that produce the specific quality of awe that psychologists have identified as among the most powerful contributors to human wellbeing.
The Kloof Street Hotel places guests at the centre of this environment – Table Mountain well within reach for hiking and abseiling, beaches nearby for swimming and surfing, and wildlife sanctuaries and safari experiences in the surrounding peninsula. Cape Town’s extraordinary food scene, markets, and cultural diversity add layers of sensory richness that make it one of the most complete wellness destinations in the world.
The bigger picture
The world remains open for South African travellers who love Thailand’s jungle retreats or Bali’s rice terraces – and those experiences are absolutely worth the forward planning and journey. But for those who want restoration more affordably and with minimal logistics right now, you needn’t venture far.
Speak to a Flight Centre Travel Expert about current deals, packages, and wellness escapes across South Africa. Call 0877 40 50 00 or visit flightcentre.co.za.
