Kaya 959 Kaya Biz

South Africans Plan More Holidays in 2026 — AI, Lux-Scaping & Passion Pursuits on the Rise

Loading player...
After years of cautious spending, South Africans are getting ready to pack their bags and they’re doing it smarter, greener, and with more luxury in mind.

According to Marriott Bonvoy’s latest Ticket to Travel research, nearly seven in ten South Africans plan to take the same or more holidays in 2026, with Gen Z and Millennials leading the charge. AI is officially mainstream, with almost 60% of travellers comfortable letting AI tools like ChatGPT plan and book their trips while new trends like “lux-scaping” and “passion pursuits” are shaping how people travel.

Joining us to unpack these trends is Dorcas Dlamini Mbele, Senior Director of Commercial for Sub-Saharan Africa at Marriott International. She shares insights into how South Africans are blending tech, sustainability, and indulgence to redefine modern travel from spa retreats and curated experiences to multi-country adventures and purpose-led holidays.
11 Nov 2025 4PM English South Africa Business News · Investing

Other recent episodes

The Psychology of Money: What Drives Financial Confidence In 2026

The latest Sanlam Financial Confidence Index Report shows an intriguing trend: financial confidence has remained stable, and in some areas even strengthened. The overall index edged up to 54, while financial wellbeing reached its highest level since the study began. This evening we're joined by Tshepo Mogotsi, Group Head of…
7 Oct 1PM 14 min

Absa's Big Crypto Bet: Bringing Digital Assets Into Banking

Absa has become the first African bank to launch an institutional digital asset custody solution, signalling a major shift in the evolution of financial services on the continent. Rob Downes, Head of Digital Assets at Absa CIB, unpacks why traditional banking is embracing digital assets, what this means for institutional…
7 Oct 12PM 16 min

South Africa's Next Growth Bottleneck

Electricity reliability may be improving, but South Africa's economic constraints are shifting elsewhere. PwC's latest Economic Outlook highlights growing pressure from logistics, water infrastructure and service delivery challenges. Chief Economist Lullu Krugel explores where South Africa's next growth opportunities and obstacles lie, and what needs to happen to translate stability…
7 Oct 12PM 9 min

Reading The Signals From South African Mining

South Africa's mining sector remains a major source of high-paying employment, but underlying challenges persist. Bongani Motsa, Chief Economist at Minerals Council SA, explores employment resilience, declining productivity, commodity trends and the key risks and opportunities shaping mining's outlook into 2027
6 Oct 1PM 18 min

The Economics of Ride-Hailing Under Fuel Price Pressure

As fuel costs surge, ride-hailing drivers are under growing financial pressure. Ashif Black, Country Representative for inDrive South Africa, discusses the realities facing drivers, the return of the platform's 1% commission initiative, and what it takes to sustain earnings in today's cost-of-living environment
6 Oct 1PM 15 min
All episodes