Brief
FlySafair awards R350,000 travel boost to four South African tourism SMEs
Four South African tourism businesses receive business‑class flights, InFlight magazine features and promotional exposure valued at more than R350,000 each.
By Felo News Desk · Published
FlySafair announced on 19 Oct 2026 that four South African tourism small‑ and medium‑sized enterprises have been selected for its inaugural Travel Booster programme. Each winner will receive a support package valued at over R350,000, including ten return domestic Business Class flights, a full‑page feature in the airline’s digital InFlight magazine and promotion on FlySafair’s website and social‑media channels, which reach more than 1.5 million followers.
What happened
The four winners – Travel Bug Tours & Safaris, ART AID Africa, Legacy Collection and World Trackers – will each obtain ten Business Class return flights. First Car Rental and Vodacom SA are also contributing car‑hire coupons and tailored business solutions. The Travel Booster builds on FlySafair’s Business Booster programme that has offered air‑travel access to small businesses since 2022, but this new initiative focuses specifically on tourism firms.
What the reports add
According to the airline’s release, Travel Bug Tours & Safaris plans to use the flights to meet travel‑trade partners in Johannesburg and Cape Town, attend industry events and develop new itineraries that showcase Durban’s street‑art scene, local artists and food culture. ART AID Africa intends to develop partnerships with travel‑industry businesses, reach new markets and connect more visitors with South Africa’s contemporary cultural landscape. Legacy Collection, a Cape Town‑based producer of handcrafted jewellery and art using original Robben Island prison fencing, will expand its retail network, while World Trackers will leverage the flights to broaden its tracking‑trail experiences.
What was said
“What stands out about these four businesses is how personal they are,” Kirby Gordon, chief marketing officer at FlySafair, told BizCommunity. “They take visitors into artists’ studios, onto tracking trails, through Durban’s food and street culture and into the story of Robben Island. For businesses like these, a flight can be the difference between staying local and meeting the people who help you grow. We’re proud to put them in the air.”
Dominic Naidoo, founder of Travel Bug Tours & Safaris, said the airline’s support will help the company grow and create opportunities for guides, artists and small‑business partners. John Anthony, founder and creative strategist at ART AID Africa, added, “Winning the FlySafair Travel Booster Campaign gives us wings to take our ideas further!”
How it came about
The Travel Booster follows FlySafair’s Business Booster programme, launched in 2022 to give South African small businesses access to air travel for networking and market expansion. By targeting tourism SMEs, FlySafair aims to strengthen the sector’s capacity to reach new domestic markets and promote South Africa’s diverse cultural and natural attractions.
Key facts
- Four tourism SMEs were selected for FlySafair's inaugural Travel Booster programme. (bizcommunity.com)
- Each winner receives ten return domestic Business Class flights and a full‑page InFlight magazine feature. (bizcommunity.com)
- The support package for each business is valued at more than R350,000. (bizcommunity.com)
- FlySafair's Travel Booster builds on its Business Booster programme that began in 2022. (bizcommunity.com)
- Kirby Gordon, FlySafair CMO, highlighted the personal nature of the selected businesses. (bizcommunity.com)
Sources
- [1] bizcommunity.com — originally reported as “FlySafair awards travel, marketing support to tourism SMEs”
