South Africa voted one of world’s most desirable countries

South Africa has established itself as a major destination for tourists, earning a spot as one of the most sought-after countries to explore. In the 2024 Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards, South Africa was voted one of the world’s most desirable countries to visit, making it to the prestigious top 10 list.

The Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards

Wanderlust is the UK’s longest-running and largest travel magazine by circulation.

This year marks the 23rd annual Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards. More than three million votes were cast by 168 000 readers who are travel enthusiasts across 22 categories. This includes the most desirable destinations for adventure, sustainability, culture and heritage, wildlife and nature, and gastronomy.

Top 10 spots globally

This year, the gold award went to Australia for the third year in a row as the most desirable country in the world to visit. Canada won the silver award, and Japan the bronze award.

Following are the other countries in the top 10:

4. USA
5. New Zealand
6. Costa Rica
7. South Africa
8. Brazil
9. South Korea
10. Peru

George Kipouros, Wanderlust’s Editor-in-Chief named the Great Barrier Reef and the vibrant energy of cities like Sydney, Perth, and Brisbane as some of the strongest pulling factors of Australia.

South Africa wins gold award

Markedly, South Africa was voted number one in the world for the most desirable destination for wildlife and nature, earning this year’s gold award in this category.

Following are the other countries in the top 10:

2. Brazil
3. Ecuador
4. Colombia
5. Costa Rica
6. Australia
7. Malaysia
8. Canada
9. USA
10. Kenya

Wildlife stands at the heart of South Africa’s tourism sector. The country attracts a significant number of wildlife tourists, primarily from Europe and the Americas, according to South African Tourism. In 2023, about 91% of wildlife tourists came from these regions.

Economic benefit of wildlife tourism

The economic contribution of wildlife tourism is substantial. Markedly, wildlife tourists are some of the highest spenders in South Africa. In 2023, the average wildlife tourist spent R31 200 per person per stay and an average of R1 700 per day. That is nearly three times the average tourist expenditure in South Africa.

This considerable spending is largely due to the premium nature of wildlife experiences such as luxury game lodges, guided safaris, and conservation-focused activities.

Why do you think most of the wildlife tourists visiting South Africa are from Europe and America?

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