Fuel costs are squeezing travel budgets across South Africa, but a full tank doesn't have to be the end of your holiday plans. Corné Alberts, National Marketing Manager at ANEW Hotels & Resorts, has shared five practical tactics for keeping local trips affordable when petrol prices bite — and most of them come down to timing rather than sacrifice.
The first trick is matching your dates to the type of property you're booking. Business hotels are busiest Monday to Thursday, so weekend rates there tend to drop. Leisure resorts near popular attractions work the other way round: midweek stays are often cheaper. Compare a couple of date options before committing, and the difference can cover a decent chunk of fuel or a few activities.
Before booking through a third-party platform, check the hotel's own website. Direct bookings sometimes come with seasonal promotions, midweek specials or added perks that the big booking sites don't show. Even a small saving counts when fuel is eating a large share of your budget.
The third suggestion is the simplest: don't drive so far. South Africa is full of smaller towns, markets, museums and historic neighbourhoods within easy reach of most homes. A one-night stay or even a day trip can feel like a proper break without the fuel bill of a long-haul road trip — and it often means discovering places you'd otherwise drive straight past.
Timing the drive itself matters too. School holidays and long weekends clog the main routes out of the big cities, and stop-start traffic burns noticeably more fuel than cruising at a steady speed. Leaving a day before the rush and returning after it eases both congestion and consumption. Planning your route in advance also helps you avoid detours that quietly add kilometres.
Finally, dig out whatever rewards you've already earned. Hotel loyalty points, credit card travel benefits and fuel programme perks can translate into discounted or free nights, room upgrades or money off petrol. Check the terms and expiry dates before you book, because points that lapse are value you've already paid for. Stack a loyalty discount on top of off-peak rates and a direct-booking special, and the total cost of a weekend away can drop far below what a quick online quote suggested.
For South African travellers, the takeaway is that rising fuel prices reward flexibility more than they punish ambition. Shift your dates, book smart, shorten the drive and cash in points you already have, and a change of scenery stays firmly within reach — no need to shelve the trip until prices fall.
