Trevor Noah once dubbed South Africa as “Africa-lite”. He’s not wrong. A combination of advanced infrastructure and diverse nature spaces makes it a comfortable first step into Africa. For travellers looking to immerse in nature, wildlife and culture, or visitors looking to kick back and get pampered while engulfed by nature, South Africa is the place.

While the country is most popular for the vibrant city of Cape Town and legendary Kruger National Park, there’s much more to it. Did you know that the Maloti-Drakensberg is now home to Earth tallest waterfall? And every November, giant Leatherback and Loggerhead turtles lay their eggs on KwaZulu Natal’s north coast. And these aren’t even the best bits.

Tourism is a key economic driver contributing around 9% to the total GDP and approx 4.5% of jobs nationally. While the government drives transformation, women and black owned businesses struggle to gain a sustainable market share of the 15 million tourists visiting every year. Moreover, the Gini Co-efficient of South Africa sits at 63%, the highest in the world with 90% of earners taking home only 35% of the total income and female workers earning around 30% less than male counterparts.