Corporate travel is alive and well on the road to recovery in South Africa, despite political instability and the rise of remote work, says City Lodge Hotels CEO Andrew Widegger.
"I’m of the firm opinion that for the companies that want to get ahead, it’s all about relationships," he added.
"Banks, lawyers… they still need to meet each other. It’s [about] team building, meeting clients, and finding new clients, which means they have to be out there. There are lots of sectors that require travel."
Widegger said corporate travel had recovered well since Covid but remained a stop-start affair, largely due to political instability. He pointed to last year’s general elections and the formation of the government of national unity as events that created both optimism and pessimism among corporates.
Ongoing uncertainty continued to weigh on confidence, investment and, ultimately, travel, he added.
Corporate bookings at City Lodge hotels had been on the rise since July last year, but that was disrupted by economic concerns such as the national budget impasse and the implementation of US tariffs.
"Corporates say, what is this going to be? And they look at shoring up their balance sheets, so they don’t travel," Widegger said.
City Lodge hotels had taken advantage of the rise of digital nomads by offering fast, free Wi-Fi, co-working spaces and prioritising bleisure (business and leisure travel) and Mice (meetings, incentives, conferencing, events).
According to Savills Executive Nomad Index, Cape Town ranks among the top 30 international cities for long-term remote workers.
The index ranks cities for internet speed, air connectivity, stability in climate, prime residential market prices and overall quality of life, combining the totals to create an overall ranking.
Pam Golding Properties CEO Andrew Golding said the executive nomad "has emerged as a distinct and influential class of remote-working professionals".
"While embracing location-independent work, executive nomads prioritise quality of lifestyle, luxury accommodation and robust infrastructure — including reliable digital connectivity — all within secure and aesthetically appealing environments.
"Cape Town’s appeal as both a lifestyle and business destination has been strengthened by the launch of South Africa’s digital nomad visa programme in May 2024, alongside a thriving prime rental housing market," he said.
The digital nomad visa, launched in March 2025, allows remote workers from abroad to live and work in the country for up to three years.
Arno De Wit, Pam Golding Properties rentals manager in the Cape metro and Boland and Overberg regions, said they had seen an increase in foreign nationals operating on tourist visas, working remotely and seeking prime properties to rent.
"Executive nomads tend to rent; with ample space and proximity to amenities being priorities. In Cape Town’s City Bowl and Atlantic Seaboard areas, the demand ranges from R50,000 to R200,000 per month for two- or three-bedroom apartments or houses in secure locations in proximity to restaurants, cafes, beaches and shops and the popular Sea Point Promenade, which stretches 7km from Mouille Point to Bantry Bay.
Kelcie Sellers, associate director at Savills World Research, said the landscape for executive nomads was changing, and markets were creating new strategies to attract the high-end remote workers
"Two new countries to our index, Canada and New Zealand, do not offer explicit digital nomad visas but instead have long-term visitor visas that have been revised to allow for fully remote employment for the duration of an individual’s stay."
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