Sometimes, being a tourist in your own town or city will lead you to adventures you didn’t know existed—even if you’ve lived there your whole life. Other times, you might just discover a newfound appreciation for your home. If you’ve felt overwhelmed by travel season, maybe it’s time to start taking a few tips from tourists.
Cape Town, South Africa (19 March 2025) — It has been a jam-packed tourist season for the Western Cape, especially as Cape Town continues to claim award after award, attracting new fleets of travellers seemingly with each prize. The positive knock-off effects of a healthy tourism industry also come with a caveat—a lot of locals are feeling overwhelmed by the sheer busyness of it all. From tourists to digital nomads, it’s hard to ignore the influx.
Living in Cape Town, I’ve been privy to many conversations related to the tourism boom in our city that’s only grown over the years. Many of these conversations are similar in flow. Some are positive, but most circle back to the rental crisis. But one conversation stood out to me for good reason—it wasn’t about tourists or locals as silos, but rather locals becoming tourists.
The conversation happened recently. A born and raised Capetonian I know, and I got to talking about how busy everything has been when she casually said that maybe we’d all feel better if we started to treat ourselves to days as tourists, too.
It seems so simple, but there’s actually a lot of power in what she said. And it doesn’t just apply to Cape Town.
Maybe the answer isn’t to complain about the excess traffic or the fact that we’ll only be able to book our favourite restaurant (it used to be a hidden hole in the wall) in three months. Maybe it’s time we started taking back our power by realising we can also join in on the fun. Maybe it’s time to take some tips from tourists.
I’ve had the pleasure of interacting with so many wonderful tourists from all corners of the globe, and from all walks of life. With their ways of travelling in mind, here are a few tips locals can take from them to become tourists ourselves (and why we should)!
4 Tips to Take From Tourists as a Local
1. Spend Money on Experiences Instead of Stuff’
I’m not saying we need to break the bank. Times are tough, and the price of mayonnaise doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon. But if we are looking to treat ourselves on our allocated ‘tourist day’, why not let it be to do with something that’ll make memories?
Like a tourist travelling light, let your treat cash go to something that can’t be held. Whether it’s spending a little extra petrol money to visit Cape Point or a bit of a splurge on a hot air balloon ride over KwaZulu-Natal, you might just be glad you put your money towards an adventure instead of a Temu-haul.
P.S. Good Things Guy has an incredible list of 100 Things to Do In South Africa if you need inspiration!
Beyond some memories you’ll never forget, this might also help inspire you to save toward experiences instead of spending on things you don’t need.
2. Shamelessly Strike Up Conversations With Strangers
I’ve met many tourists simply because they struck up a conversation with me. And I’ve often reminded myself to have the courage of a tourist when I’ve wanted to chat to someone I don’t know.
Travel is as much about experiences as it is about connections. The beauty is that it doesn’t always need to be a lifelong connection (it might just be a great conversation at a coffee shop that never leaves the coffee shop!). Whether it is a new perspective, a new friend or your soulmate, the tourist’s courage could do us all some good in a world that’s becoming increasingly disconnected
3. Leave Your Comfort Zone at Home
When you’re a tourist, stepping outside of your comfort zone is part of the deal. You could be thousands of kilometres from home, might not know anyone, and might not even speak the language of the place you’re visiting!
A tip to take from tourists who have travelled far and wide is to leave your comfort zone at home. Try an experience you’ve always dreamed about (you know, the one at the top of your bucket list) and see if you can do it in your city or somewhere nearby.
Leaving your comfort zone isn’t just a thrill; it also helps you show your anxiety that you’re stronger than it makes you feel.
4. Eat Your Heart Out
Last but never least, take the time to properly indulge in the cuisine your home is famous for. In South Africa, we’re spoiled for choice when it comes to culinary experiences. And even if you’ve eaten Cape Malay Curry or milk tart a thousand times, you definitely haven’t tried it from everywhere.
Whether you host a local cuisine night, head off to your favourite restaurant or treat your tastebuds to a local food spot you’ve only read about, your tourist day is the time to do it!
Having a guilt-free day to dine and enjoy foodie spoils with friends or loved ones is one of those experiences that reminds you to appreciate the simple things.
And when your tourist day is done and dusted, you might just find you’re not so perturbed about the traffic on the way home.
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