More South Africans using AI for travel planning, favour 'lux-scaping' and passion pairing their holidays

Close to seven in ten South African travellers (69%) plan to take the same or more holidays in 2026 compared to 2025.

This includes 49% who intend to travel more frequently, according to Marriott Bonvoy’s Ticket to Travel research.

More than 2,000 South African travellers were surveyed as part of the hotel group's wider research across its international markets.

Younger generations are leading demand in SA, with 66% of Gen Z planning on taking more holidays next year - embracing AI planning tools, luxury add-ons, and passion-driven trips.

Stephen Grootes finds out about the latest travel trends from Dorcas Dlamini Mbele, Senior Director for Commercial Sub Saharan Africa at Marriott International.

More South Africans are not only planning their holidays using AI, but are also comfortable making bookings through API (Application Programming Interface), says Mbele.

"We found that 59% of South Africans are actually doing that, which is higher than other markets like Europe and the Middle East. There is a growing trend to trust technology in making these decisions, driven by the younger generation."

66% of Gen Z and 53% of Millennials have used AI for trip planning, compared to 27% of Gen X and 22% of Baby Boomers, according to the survey.

Building holidays around personal interests such as music, sport, or adventure is also on the rise. The most popular passion pursuits are travelling to see or participate in a music or cultural event, watching or playing a sport, and adventurous explorations like a safari or trek.

Another key trend is lux-scaping, where travellers book a luxurious stay such as a spa retreat or five-star hotel at the start or end of a holiday.

"South Africans are finding savvy ways to stretch a little bit of their money - and lux-scaping gives the opportunity to treat themselves, adding an element of luxury at for example the end of their holiday, whether to refresh themselves or just elevate their experience."

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the conversation, and click here to view the findings of the Marriot survey