South African Tourism has launched “Siyanda,” a new AI-powered travel assistant designed to help North American travelers—and the advisors who serve them—plan more informed, personalized trips to the destination.
Built on Matador Network’s GuideGeek platform, Siyanda provides instant, real-time answers to travel-related questions about South Africa, from safari experiences and hiking trails to local restaurants, cultural attractions and historical landmarks. Travelers and advisors can also utilize the tool to create comprehensive itineraries.
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“South Africa has a ton of momentum as a destination,” said Matador Network CEO Ross Borden, in a media statement. “Siyanda helps travelers quickly go from being curious about South Africa to planning and booking their ideal trip to a large country full of rich cultural experiences.”
For travel advisors, Siyanda offers a new way to access destination expertise and enhance client conversations quickly. Available 24/7, the AI assistant can surface itinerary ideas, suggest experiences across the country’s diverse regions and provide up-to-date insights on everything from wildlife encounters to food and wine experiences.
Tourism officials say the tool is designed to complement—not replace—the role of the travel advisor. By acting as an always-on digital resource, Siyanda allows advisors to deepen their destination knowledge, respond faster to client inquiries, and spark inspiration throughout the booking journey, ultimately strengthening the advisor-client relationship.
“The U.S. became South Africa’s largest overseas market in 2024, and we’ve built a strong bond with American travelers. Siyanda enables us to grow that connection by reaching travelers who are now using AI alongside traditional channels to research and book trips<” said explained Darryl Erasmus, Chief Operations Officer, in a media statement.
Siyanda is trained on extensive data from South African Tourism’s official website, combined with more than 1,000 travel information integrations through GuideGeek’s technology. South Africa is the first African destination to launch a custom AI trip-planning tool with GuideGeek, joining destinations such as Greece and New Zealand that are using artificial intelligence to engage tech-savvy travelers earlier in the planning process.
“South Africa is a very affordable destination for North American travelers,” Erasmus added. “Through chatting with Siyanda, potential U.S. and Canadian visitors, and the travel advisors assisting them, can build a dream itinerary that fits their budget and discover just how far their dollar can stretch—whether they’re diving with sharks, enjoying world-class wines in Cape Town, searching for lions on safari, or engaging with local communities.”
For more information, visit southafrica.net.
