TRAVEL
Staycations
ARE the new travel trend South Africans are taking out their smartphones and Instagramming their travels as local becomes ‘lekker’ again. Tourism and travel in South Africa has changed forever in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, SA’s Department of Tourism reveals in its 2021/2022 Annual Performance Plan. The tourism authority says travel restrictions and health and safety concerns are realising a huge shift in travel behaviour and preferences. “A post lockdown yearning for open spaces along with the desire to avoid crowded spaces has shifted remote, empty destinations to the top of many travellers' wish lists,” SA Tourism says, adding that travellers prefer 'staycations'.
What is a staycation?
It is travelling to nearby or local tourism attractions without any overnight stay. Or traveling to tourism destinations that are close to home. Road travel is often the preferred mode of travel for staycationers. One of the largest and most developed tourism markets in Africa, South Africa, is currently in the midst of its third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the adoption of a lockdown has witnessed a slowdown in visitors to this country. This means that staycations are here to stay, and will fuel demand for domestic leisure tourism. South Africans will benefit from the increased demand for staycations in 2021, and let’s face it; this country offers diverse beauty, so people
54 | September 2021
seeking an escape from the boredom of lockdown are spoiled for choice.
current trends in Artificial Intelligence (AI) computing power in smartphones.
The staycation boom is set to deepen as locals look for safe, relaxing venues that are set in the wide-open spaces, and because South Africans are capturing feel good memories with their smartphones, and sharing these via social media.
The Counterpoint research identifies TECNO, the rising global smartphone brand that embodies this trend, incorporating camera technology, AI, scene recognition and more into a technologically advanced everyday product.
As smartphones become more affordable and accessible to the average South African, microinfluencers have popped up in all provinces, sharing their lives, their travels, and their adventures while safely enjoying a staycation, thanks to the high-quality feature photography made available by modern, affordable mobiles.
Pioneering mobile device computing photography
TECNO is a brand that’s been pioneering mobile device computing photography, and that has been recognised by international experts for breakthrough work in this field. Counterpoint Technology Market Research, a global research firm specialising in products in the technology, media, and telecom industry, recently charted the intertwined evolution of smartphones and camera technology. The researchers predict that smartphone and camera technology ecosystems will be increasingly dependent on each other for progress, given
Counterpoint’s recent report also suggests that TECNO is recognised as one of the few brands that have made breakthroughs in AI-enhanced mobile photography and videography. TECNO’s excellent photographic performance also enabled the brand to earn distinctions in the Guinness World Records 2020 with the largest flipbook shot by its photography pioneer CAMON product line; and in IFA (Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin) with the Camera Technology Innovation Smartphone Gold Award 2020. For landscape shooting, TECNO provides a unique magic pixel mode that enables lossless zooming and allows travellers to capture clear and sharp shots of buildings and mountains.
Five Instagram-inspired staycation ideas
To inspire your next staycation photoshoot for your favourite social media, here is a carefully curated list of top staycation recommendations using local Instagram travel influencers for inspiration.
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