Johannesburg-South African Airlines has a calculated bet in proximity. At Africa's Travel Indava 2025, the airline announced plans to significantly expand its domestic and regional footprint. Johannesburg – George flights will resume in April 2026. East London returns to the network, and the well-traveled Cape Town-Durban Corridor is also planning a comeback. Cross-border additions include the new Johannesburg-Gaboron route, launched in October 2025.
This strategic pivot reflects the broader trends shaping mobility for businesses around the world. In its 2025 Business Trends 2025 report, Globetredender highlighted the emergence of “proximity forces.” This is a move towards prioritizing regional and domestic travel that offers increased flexibility, reduced fatigue and reduced environmental impacts.
“Traveling within the country and within the region is no longer considered second tier,” the report states. “Companies favor shorter, more frequent travel, which brings high value without the complexity of long distances.”
This message lands just right at the right time as South African companies adapt to the ongoing needs of tougher margins and face-to-face interactions.
“Globetredend's proximity trends reflect what we see on a client base,” says Herman Heunes, GM, corporate traveler. “Companies are asking themselves: Do we need to go far, or do we need to be fast, lean and visible near our home?”
The value of regional reconnection
The benefits of proximity-based travel exceed cost control. For example, a flight from Johannesburg to Gaboron takes less than an hour. Business travelers can meet clients in person and return home in time for dinner. Spending minimal time without the JET lag to recover from everyday responsibilities increases efficiency.
Heunes puts it succinctly: “Short holes do not mean short effects.”
For South African businesses, cases of increasing regional and domestic engagement remain even more persuasive from behind SAA's updated connections.
Faster Turnaround: Reducing planning cycles and faster flight times support agile decisions. Benefits of Happiness: Travelers are less confused about sleep, family life and work rhythms. Cost Clarity: Domestic routes minimize exposure to currency volatility and eliminate the need for visa fees and extended stays. Sustainability adjustment: Reducing emissions helps to strengthen ESG compliance. Especially because larger customers and partners want greener supply chain performance.
In particular, the Globetredend report flags the growing role of happiness in travel decisions. Companies are increasingly considering the sacrifices of long-distance travel, such as jet lag, stress and burnout, as key indicators for assessing travel value.
When Global is Still Important
Despite the transition to shorter, targeted travel, decision-makers are mostly defending the end of international travel. In fact, Globetreder emphasizes an important counter trend: essential internationalism. These are travels that cannot be replaced by Zoom.
“While proximity travel covers a lot, global design thinking, market knowledge and partnerships still rely on subtle personal interactions that don't travel well over the wire,” Heunes said. Among these invaluable needs:
Market entry and expansion: Exploring new territory requires direct immersion, especially in cultures where trust is best built through direct involvement. Strategic Partnership Development: Joint ventures, product launches, or investor roadshows benefit from the ability to build trust and respond in real time. Crisis response: Customer issues and operational delays cannot be resolved remotely at all times, and showing up on the ground indicates serious intent. Knowledge Transfer: Technical training and collaborative problem solving often require teams to be physically together, especially in manufacturing and R&D environments.
“It's going to have an impact,” says Heunes. “If you can effectively achieve your goals at home, it's usually a smarter, more sustainable choice. Save long-distance flights for moments where presence really matters.”
To create proximity forces beyond just a trend, Heunes adds that it needs to be reflected in his travel policy.
“We start by creating clear guidelines that will encourage local travel, particularly for everyday meetings, site visits, or check-in, with nearby clients and teams, which could mean that national or short-distance travel approval is required.
“It's not just about reducing long-distance travel, it's about putting in place the right structure so that teams can act frequently and travel frequently without the burden of managers.
