SOUTH AFRICA RANKS 5th IN WORLD TIMESHARE MARKETS

Source: RCI South Africa

April 7, 1999
From marvelous Morocco to lesser known regions within Botswana, Namibia, Zambia or Zimbabwe down to the tip of South Africa, the so-called mysterious Dark or Fifth Continent has become such a hot commodity that it might better be classified as the Boom Continent. With tours and accommodations from luxury to an emerging mid-priced market, sprawling South Africa in particular is brimming with booking options.

During the apartheid years, South Africa was often mentioned separately from the rest of the continent, as if not truly African at all. Now it holds center stage as Africa’s most economically sophisticated destination, an unstoppable engine driving tourism growth throughout the entire southern region, from Namibia and Botswana to Zambia, Zimbabwe and beyond.

Relatively unexplored by the outside world until a few years ago, South Africa is now turning heads “representing something new, different, and exotic” for groups and incentives, reports Lorenzo Gianni, North American sales manager for Sun International, which has other properties in Botswana, Namibia and Swaziland. Since 1996 advance bookings for incentive groups and individual leisure travel has jumped dramatically. A favored destination is spectacular Sun City, a 150-acre complex with 1,500 hotel rooms, from The Cascades, with family oriented appeal, to royal trappings at the $300-million Palace of the Lost City. The Sun International Vacation Club, with over two hundred 2 and 3 bedroom apartments, is the very successful luxury timeshare development on the grounds.

Given strength against the rand, travelers heading for South Africa will find the dollar stretches effectively on all fronts, from accommodations and shopping to gourmet meals of seafood or ostrich. This vast nation with its fabulous game parks, mineral resources and sweeping panoramas has a per capita income of $4,420, yet it ranks fifth in timeshare markets worldwide, according to Bruce Ravenhill, chairman of developer RCI South Africa, where the average timeshare unit goes for $4,500. That might seem inconsequential for retail travel agents, were it not for this: RCI operatives say commission tie-ins involving the travel agent distribution network are on the near horizon and that enterprising agents should stay tuned.

As the only carrier flying nonstop from North America to South Africa, South African Airways, with corporate headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., has moved its New York City ticket office to the Satellite Terminal of Grand Central Inc.’s office in midtown. SAA offers daily service from New York’s JFK and five flights a week from Miami to Capetown, continuing to Johannesburg. (800) 722-9675.