South Africa

The 45-year-old South African business that runs on hot air

Bianke Neethling • 3 August 2026

Bill Harrop’s “Original” Balloon Safaris has offered hot air balloon tours for 45 years, making it the longest-established licensed balloon airline in Southern Africa.

This is one of many businesses thriving in South Africa’s recovering tourism industry, and the specific sub-sector of adventure tourism.

Adventure tourism generated R12 billion in direct revenue in 2024 and supports 91,000 jobs in South Africa.

Based in the North West, Bill Harrop’s “Original” Balloon Safaris celebrated its 45th year in business in July 2026.

Founded in 1981 by Bill and Mary Harrop, the business has become a staple for many tourists in the Magalies River Valley. This area is one of South Africa’s most established and scenic ballooning regions.

The business also offers hot air balloon tours at Mabula Private Game Reserve, one of South Africa’s premier safari destinations.

The Harrops started the business because they had a passion for ballooning, but now offer a high-quality experience that extends beyond the balloon rides they offer.

“Every detail has been shaped over time, refined, adjusted, and improved in the manner of any enduring institution,” the Harrops say on their website.

A balloon trip starts at a private launch site in the village of Skeerpoort, which is located west of the Hartbeespoort dam and 24 km south of Brits.

The Harrops explain that this area offers ideal flying conditions, “with wide open spaces, flowing river systems, farmland, and natural bushveld”.

There, guests enjoy a pre-flight tea, coffee, or other hot beverage. Then the trip begins, each methodically planned by the Harrops.

Each morning, flights follow the wind direction, ensuring a unique and ever-changing journey through the valley at sunrise. All of Harrop’s flights depart shortly after sunrise.

“In the air, the experience is entrusted to licensed pilots and an experienced crew whose professionalism is matched only by their respect for the craft,” the company’s website states.

The Harrops have also developed a tradition that makes their hot air balloon rides entirely unique.

Once the journey is complete, each guest receives a ‘Citation of Bravery’, given during a small ceremony.

“It is this balance of legacy and experience, of tradition and refinement, that defines Bill Harrop’s ‘Original’ Balloon Safaris today,” the website states.

“Not simply a flight, but a continuation of a legacy, one shaped over decades, and shared, quietly, with each new morning.”

Adventure tourism in South Africa

The Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA) released a White Paper in February 2026 discussing the economic impact of South Africa’s adventure tourism industry.

It found that this industry generated R12 billion in direct revenue in 2024, up from R10 billion in 2023, and supported 91,000 jobs.

Notably, the revenue figure does not include spending on accommodation, transport, or meals provided by other service providers to adventure tourists.

“When you account for the full economic multiplier effect, the total contribution reaches a cool R21 billion in 2023 and R25 billion in 2024,” SATSA found.

The most popular type of adventure tourism activity in South Africa is hiking, followed by zip-lining, animal viewing, and cage diving.

SATSA also found that South Africa’s adventure tourism sector has room to grow, with the global market projected to reach $1.68 trillion by 2032, with an annual growth rate of 9.42%.

In particular, adventure tourism has the potential to expand into areas beyond traditional tourism hotspots.

“Rural communities with incredible trails, rich cultural heritage, and wide-open spaces become viable tourism destinations,” SATSA said.

“The Eastern Cape, the Karoo, the Wild Coast, the Drakensberg and the Northern Cape all benefit when adventure tourism expands beyond narrow definitions.”

Chair of SATSA’s Adventure Chapter, Nic Shaw, said adventure tourism has become a powerful economic force, with its benefits spreading into previously bypassed communities.

This creates opportunities for sustainable regional development, while meeting the changing needs of international visitors.