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Though thousands of tourists visited the gem of the Garden Route during the annual Knysna Oyster Festival, the foot traffic did not translate into a strong showing for accommodation bookings in the town.
The 10-day festival, which came to a close on Sunday, is known for providing a much-needed boost for the local tourism industry during the quietest time of the year.
However, accommodation bookings presented a mixed bag, with the downturn being attributed to several factors, including ailing infrastructure in Knysna and possible cheaper rates in neighbouring towns for cash-strapped travellers.
The situation initially came to light on social media when Narnia guest house owner Stella Sohn sought advice from fellow industry role players last week.
“I need help!” Sohn said on the Knysna Daily Facebook page.
“In the 30 years I have run Narina guest house, I have never been in this position — no advance bookings!
“I have paid for SEO, a new managed website, and I am on all the accommodation platforms.
“I regularly post on Facebook and Instagram.
“I don’t even have guests booked this weekend for the [Knysna] cycle [Tour], which is ridiculous!
“I’ve even lowered my rate.
“I have a friend in exactly the same position.
“Is this the cost of fuel?
“Bad publicity for Knysna?
“I’m considering renting one unit which will bring me half of what the guest house does (or should!)”
Community members and local business owners who commented on the post acknowledged the challenge, with some saying they had experienced a similar situation.
Former Knysna accommodation association member and manager at Hide-Away Guest House in the town, Colleen Harding, said it was evident there was a shift in the number of tourists.
She said it could not be blamed solely on infrastructure issues as visitors might simply have decided to explore other towns in the Garden Route.
“From our point of view, we were full for the first weekend, which was the Knysna forest marathon, pretty empty during the week, and currently we are about 75% full for this weekend because of the cycle races,” she said last week.
“I know that there’s a WhatsApp group where people have responded to the organiser of the Oyster Festival and have said that it is much quieter.
“In general, it probably is quieter.
“I mean, if you drive around town it looks a bit quieter.”
Greater Knysna Business Chamber chair Beverley Pothier said they had not conducted a formal survey but there was little doubt many local businesses were experiencing a quieter-than-expected winter season.
“It is important, however, not to oversimplify the reasons,” Pothier said.
“We believe the current situation is the result of several factors converging at the same time.
“There are indicators that visitor numbers may not have declined to the same extent as accommodation bookings would suggest.
“Some businesses continue to report trading at expected seasonal levels, which points to the possibility that visitor behaviour is changing rather than tourism demand simply disappearing.
“This reinforces the need for more comprehensive data before attributing the trend to any single cause.”
Pothier said consumers across SA were under significant financial pressure.
“Rising fuel prices, increased airfares, inflation and the higher cost of living mean many families are travelling less frequently, travelling shorter distances, booking later than they traditionally would or reducing the lengths of their stays.”
Knysna Oyster Festival spokesperson Lungiswa Goya said they were aware some accommodation establishments had reported lower occupancy than expected during certain periods of the festival.
However, Goya said the situation was mixed.
“Feedback from visitors suggests that pricing may be a contributing factor, with some indicating they chose to stay in neighbouring towns where accommodation offered better value,” Goya said.
“Importantly, visitor numbers at the festival itself have increased.
“According to festival hub co-ordinator Tammy Cobey, attendance at events at the festival hub had been approximately double that of last year, with strong crowds across the programme.”
There had also been reports that the Standard Bank Neighbourhood Makers Hub had recorded higher sales than in 2025.
Knysna mayor Thando Matika acknowledged the town had experienced infrastructure challenges but advised that establishments had workshops where they learnt about new tools of advertising and advised one another, as some might not have marketed their establishments well.
Matika said with regard to infrastructure issues, they had established a five-year plan to rectify the sewerage and infrastructure crisis.
“The acting municipal manager, Boy Manqoba Ngubo, is prioritising fixing these challenges,” Matika said.
“However, tourists do still come and some of the accommodations were booked.
“We must say, though we are still facing global warming, the water outage is currently under control and the pumps in Charlesford are working effectively.”
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