If you feel like your holidays have become a frantic race to tick off every landmark on a map, you aren’t alone, but things are changing.
Across the Western Cape, a refreshing shift is taking place. Travellers are officially trading in their “blink-and-you’ll-miss-it” itineraries for something much more meaningful: slow travel.
Rather than rushing from one tourist trap to the next, visitors are choosing to stay closer to home, extend their trips, and lean into experience-rich holidays.
This isn’t just a vibe; the numbers back it up. In 2025, the province welcomed a staggering 11.1 million visitors.
Most notably, domestic travel is booming, with locals accounting for 7.8 million of those trips, a 7% increase from the previous year.
The rise of the “stay nearby” trend
The heart of this movement is a concept industry experts call “stay nearby” travel. Instead of squeezing into crowded city centres, savvy travellers are basing themselves just on the outskirts of major hubs.
This allows for the perfect balance: you get the convenience of world-class attractions, but paired with the space, comfort and quiet of the countryside.
Franschhoek has become the poster child for this evolution.
Long famous for its high-end wine estates and gourmet dining, the town is now seeing a surge of visitors who choose to stay on its scenic fringes.
By doing so, they avoid the peak-hour hustle of the village centre while using the valley as a launchpad to explore the wider Cape Winelands.
A global shift toward immersion
South Africa’s wine regions are now part of a global movement where the accommodation is the destination. The focus has moved away from “seeing it all” to “feeling it all”.
“What we’re seeing is a clear shift, with travellers looking beyond Cape Town and spending more time exploring the surrounding regions,” says Murray Nell, general manager at Dream Hotels and Resorts Le Franschhoek.
“Franschhoek is benefiting from this, as guests realise they can base themselves in the valley, access the wider Winelands with ease, and enjoy it all at a far more relaxed pace. Many arrive for a weekend and end up extending their stay.”
This trend isn’t just good for your stress levels; it’s great for the local economy.
By staying longer and venturing further out, tourists are distributing their spending more evenly, supporting small businesses and hidden-gem wine estates that used to be overlooked.
Ultimately, the future of Western Cape tourism is about breathing room. As Nell puts it: “Guests want breathing room. They want scenery, comfort, and a sense that they are not being rushed through a destination. That is shaping how we think about hospitality going forward.”
So, the next time you head to the winelands, don’t just pass through. Stay a while, settle into the rhythm of the valley, and discover why sometimes, the best way to see the world is to simply slow down.
Alyssia Birjalal
iol.co.za