South Africa in the Spotlight: Wanderlust Awards and WTM London Highlights

SSouth Africa enjoyed another strong showing at the Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards 2026, held at the historic Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, London.

The awards are voted for by more than 250,000 readers of Wanderlust, a leading UK travel magazine. They reflect the destinations that travellers around the world most want to visit.

A special highlight was receiving a note of congratulations from the guest of honour, Prince Harry.

South Africa received recognition in three categories:

• 1^st Place - Most Desirable Destination for Nature & Wildlife (Gold)
• 3rd Place – Most Desirable Country Overall (Bronze)
• 3rd Place – Cape Town, Most Desirable City Worldwide (Bronze)

These accolades reinforce South Africa's international appeal and its reputation as a destination offering exceptional nature, wildlife and travel experiences.

The awards coincided with World Travel Market (WTM) in London, one of the travel industry's leading global events, which brings together tourism organisations, airlines, travel companies and media from around the world.

During the week, the UK & Ireland Hub held more than 40 meetings with key travel trade partners, airlines, online travel agencies, media and industry stakeholders. The discussions focused on strengthening partnerships, creating new opportunities and encouraging more UK and Irish travellers to visit South Africa.

It was a positive week for the Hub, combining international recognition for South Africa with valuable engagement to support the country's tourism growth.