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- š¬ Where South Africans Are Booking: Top 10 Small Towns Dominating Airbnb in 2025
š¬ Where South Africans Are Booking: Top 10 Small Towns Dominating Airbnb in 2025
As local travel continues to boom and semigration reshapes real estate demand, South Africa's smaller towns are punching well above their weight in the short-term rental market. Using current Airbnb listing data, we've compiled a list of the top 10 towns with some of the highest number of active listings.
These towns are magnets for weekend escapes, seasonal living, and short-stay tourism, offering valuable insight for property investors, developers, and digital nomads alike.
šļø Top 10 Small Towns by Airbnb Listings
Rank | Town | Listings |
|---|---|---|
1 | Plettenberg Bay | 1,000+ |
2 | Knysna | 979 |
3 | Hermanus | 961 |
4 | Dolphin Coast | 955 |
5 | Port Edward | 731 |
6 | Margate | 560 |
7 | Clarens | 317 |
8 | Yzerfontein | 227 |
9 | White River | 225 |
10 | St Michaelās-on-Sea | 187 |
š Key Takeaways:
Plettenberg Bay leads the pack with over 1,000 active listingsādriven by its luxury coastal appeal and Garden Route location.
The Western Cape dominates the list with 5 towns, but KwaZulu-Natalās South Coast (Margate, Port Edward, St Michaelās) continues to draw holidaymakers.
Clarens and White River prove inland destinations can competeāthanks to their artistic, adventure, and eco-tourism appeal.
Yzerfontein emerges as a fast-growing West Coast gem with high per-capita Airbnb density.
š See the visual infographic below for a quick snapshot of the leaders in South Africaās small town Airbnb market. Who did we miss?
