Christmas travel is changing. For many South Africans, the perfect December break is becoming less about travelling far and more about spending meaningful time together somewhere worth remembering.
Research from Marriott Bonvoy found that 53% of South African travellers rank spending time with family and friends as a top travel priority, followed closely by great food and drink, treating themselves and spending time in nature.
A family lunch, a spa treatment, time around the pool, a mountain hike, a game drive or simply sitting together with a beautiful view can become the moments guests remember most.
South Africans are also becoming more strategic about festive travel. Standard Bank’s 2026 festive travel analysis found that travellers are still prioritising December holidays, but many are planning earlier and looking for stronger value from their accommodation and travel choices.
This creates a strong opportunity for Orion Hotels & Resorts, where each property offers a different type of December escape.
At Coach House Hotel & Spa, guests can combine mountain views with spa experiences and relaxed dining. Ditholo Game Lodge brings families closer to nature through bushveld surroundings and outdoor experiences, while Mont Aux Sources Drakensberg Resort offers hiking, family activities and dramatic mountain scenery.
Magoebaskloof Hotel provides a scenic mountain escape, The Venue Country Hotel & Spa offers a relaxed countryside setting, and Safari Hotel & Convention Centre combines dining, leisure and family experiences in Rustenburg.
As Christmas approaches, the opportunity for hotels is therefore not simply to sell another night away.
It is to create somewhere families and friends can slow down, reconnect, enjoy good food, have fun and leave with memories they will still be talking about long after December is over.
