Johannesburg - Joburg is expected to be Africa’s most popular tourist destination this year, with the most international visitors and the largest amount of money pouring in, according to the MasterCard Global Destinations Index.
The index, which ranks cities worldwide based on consumer information, estimates that more than 2.54 million visitors will descend upon the City of Gold this year, bringing in almost R27 billion – up by one percent from last year.
This is the first time Joburg has topped the African destinations list since the rankings started three years ago.
Lagos and Cairo came second and third, with Cape Town at number 9.
Visitors are most likely to come from London, Dubai and Frankfurt; with Londoners spending the most in the city.
“Joburg speeds, you know,” said Johannesburg Tourism spokesperson Laura Vercueil.
“We’re extremely excited because Joburg suffers a terribly bad reputation in terms of its image.”
Despite perceptions that Joburg is a crime capital, Vercueil said the city offers an urban vibe that attracts visitors searching for a gritty, edgy experience on top of a vibrant cultural scene, business opportunities and excitement.
With the busiest airport on the continent, visitors often pass through Joburg on their way to other destinations.
Airlines cut a few direct flights to Cape Town this year, which might relate to its decrease in popularity.
The city fell 8.5 percent in terms of visitors and 13.5 percent in expenditure.
Durban, on the other hand, is growing quickly, attracting many visitors from Dubai.
Bangkok stole the title of most popular destination in the world from London this year, with an estimated 15.98 million international visitors.
London, Paris, Singapore and New York follow in terms of visitors.
New York brings in the most money, with visitors spending an estimated R186bn. - The Star