The dreamers shaping South Africa’s new era of travel
South Africa, renowned for tourism excellence, is looking to positive disruption to redefine the future of travel. With a new era of tourism on the horizon, the Motsamayi Group is building on its maverick heritage to give travelers extraordinary experiences.
Travel has changed. As global destinations become increasingly accessible, the way travelers engage with them has shifted. Global trends, such as the growing demand for personalized and authentic travel experiences, are top of visitor expectations – with the 2022 American Express Global Travel Trends Report finding that 70% of travelers now seek unique and immersive cultural encounters.
South Africa is a country with a lot to offer travelers, from its vibrant cities and culture to incredible wildlife and natural spaces. But to translate this into meeting the demands of modern tourism, the status quo is no longer enough.
“Without the dreamers, we stand the risk of stagnating,” says Jerry Mabena, Chief Executive Officer at Motsamayi Tourism Group. “We need to change perceptions, so the reward of an experience is worth the challenge.”
Motsamayi Group is at the forefront of a disruptive revolution that aims to further South Africa’s ability to cater to the desires of the twenty first century tourist. And as a long-running black-owned tourism company in South Africa, Motsamayi is no stranger to pioneering positive disruption as a solution to the challenges facing the country.
Being a black-led business with over 20 years’ experience means we have learned the hard lessons long before transformation was expected in our country, our goal now is to raise the bar again, to be unique and encourage more dreamers to go against what is expected.
Jerry Mabena, Chief Executive Officer at Motsamayi Tourism Group
Dreaming up excellence
And the result of this twenty-year incubation period? The creation of once unimaginable experiences that are cutting through the noise and leaving tourists astonished.
Conjure up a windswept image of Cape Point, where rolling hills and valleys play host to hundreds of species of bird and animals, and the crashing waves of the Atlantic Ocean break on dramatic cliffs and beautiful beaches. Or imagine yourself on the Kruger Shalati train hotel, parked across a towering bridge over the Sabie River as you take in the serene beauty of the Kruger National Park.
“We dream up products so unique that people pause and ask if we are going mad,” says Mabena. “Not only are they distinctive in their African way, but they are truly African from concept to execution.”
For an experience to get the green light, it needs to meet Motsamayi’s three criteria: it must be unique, iconic, and most importantly capture the spirit of the South African people. These benchmarks have naturally led to a renewed focus on sustainable and community-based tourism that will deliver for tourists, while uplifting communities and illuminating paths to wider economic prosperity.
Mabena points to the forthcoming Skywalk at God’s Window – which will give visitors the opportunity to experience the timeless vista on a glass walkway suspended off the edge of a cliff – as an example of this. Not only will the Skywalk bring hundreds of thousands of tourists to the area, but the development of this attraction will bring much needed economic and social mobility to the rural province of Mpumalanga.
And on the horizon, new wonders beckon. The forthcoming seasonal luxury tented camps at the Kruger Untamed and Knysna Enchanted promise to elevate the iconic safari experience to a new level.
“The thrill of hearing a lion roar in its natural habitat is hard to beat. But now imagine hearing it on a guided walk, or as you sit around a crackling fire in the middle of a dry riverbed, as the locals tell you about their unexpected adventures in the wildlife.”
Looking ahead and Motsamayi Group is continuing to push for experiences that will allow visitors to immerse themselves in wild beauty of South Africa. Not only to leave tourists with once in a lifetime memories, but to tackle the contemporary challenges of tourism head on.
“Our dream to take these deeply immersive experiences everywhere, to meet, and exceed our guests’ expectations. In this way we will show the world the most authentic and unique South Africa.”
