How long the ‘average Joe’ goes on holiday for in South Africa
New data from accommodation portal, Accommodation Direct shows how long travellers tend to go away for in South Africa, and which destinations get the longest stay.
The data is drawn from the group’s 20,000 accommodation listings from over 2,000 areas in South Africa.
On average, South Africans book accommodation for 3.6 nights of holiday or travel, the group’s data showed.
Unsurprisingly, the Western Cape proved to be the most popular destination for travellers, with an average length of stay on par with the national average – 4 nights; this is followed by KwaZulu-Natal (2.8 nights), Gauteng (2.5 nights), the Eastern Cape (2.0 nights) and the Free State (1.7 nights).
Despite being some of the most expensive holiday/travel destinations in the country, both Cape Town and Plettenburg Bay enjoy the longest visits as well, at 4.3 nights each.
Knysna, Southbroom, Amanzimtoti and Umhlanga also see lengthier stays, at an average stay of 3 nights for visitors.
The data shows all accommodation booked, which includes bookings for business travel, which would bring the averages down in certain areas, such as Johannesburg.
The 10 most expensive towns in SA for accommodation
| # | Town | Province | Average price per night | Average spend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cape Town | WC | R1 194 | 4.3 |
| 2 | Plettenberg Bay | WC | R1 690 | 4.3 |
| 3 | Knysna | WC | R1 131 | 4.1 |
| 4 | Southbroom | KZN | R1 131 | 4.1 |
| 5 | Amanzimtoti | KZN | R1 295 | 3.3 |
| 6 | Umhlnaga | KZN | R907 | 3.3 |
| 7 | Pretoria | GP | R978 | 3.0 |
| 8 | Durban | KZN | R1 321 | 2.9 |
| 9 | Hermanus | WC | R1 069 | 2.7 |
| 10 | Port Alfred | EC | R898 | 2.6 |
Looking more locally, Tyger Valley in Cape Town sees the longest visits in South Africa, with an average duration of 7 nights.
At an average cost of R934 a night, it proves to be one of the more affordable suburbs in what is considered one of the most expensive destinations in the country.
The 10 most expensive suburbs in SA for accommodation
| # | Suburb | Province | Average price per night | Average stay (nights) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyger Valley | WC | R934 | 6.9 |
| 2 | Claremont | WC | R643 | 6.7 |
| 3 | Mouille Point | WC | R1 122 | 6.6 |
| 4 | Leisure Isle | WC | R970 | 6.6 |
| 5 | V&A Waterfront | WC | R2 382 | 6.5 |
| 6 | Bloubergstrand | WC | R1 044 | 5.5 |
| 7 | Clifton | WC | R3 041 | 5.4 |
| 8 | Rondebosch | WC | R657 | 5.4 |
| 9 | Llandudno | WC | R1 990 | 5.3 |
| 10 | Century City | WC | R1 393 | 5.2 |
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