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Facebook Ads Cost Per Lead Benchmarks for Recreation and Travel in South Africa

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Cost Per Lead for Recreation and Travel in South Africa

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Key takeaways

  • Based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks, this analysis looks at cost-per-lead trends for industry Recreation and Travel and target country South Africa compared to the global trend.
  • Over Dec 2024–Jul 2025, South Africa’s median cost-per-lead (CPL) averaged 83.91, which is 122% higher than the global baseline average of 37.76 for the same months.
  • The selected series is highly volatile (average absolute month-to-month change of ~195%) versus a stable global trend (~8.5%).
  • Clear seasonality is visible: a pronounced December spike (typical Q4 holiday effects) followed by sharp troughs in March and July.
  • Overall change from the first to last month: South Africa declined 92% (219.95 to 17.16), while the global baseline eased just 2.4%.

What’s included

  • Metric: cost-per-lead (CPL)
  • Industry: Recreation and Travel
  • Country: South Africa
  • Timeframe compared: Dec 2024 to Jul 2025 (aligned to the overlap between selected and baseline)

South Africa CPL highlights (Recreation and Travel)

  • Average: 83.91 across eight months.
  • High and low: Peak in Dec 2024 at 219.95; low in Mar 2025 at 10.38, a range of 209.57.
  • Volatility: Month-to-month swings averaged ~195%, driven by:
  • Dec → Jan: -84%
  • Jan → Feb: +293%
  • Feb → Mar: -92%
  • Mar → Apr: +769%
  • Apr → May: -20%, May → Jun: +28%, Jun → Jul: -82%
  • Trend from first to last month: -92% (Dec 2024 to Jul 2025).
  • Notable spikes/dips:
  • Spikes: December (holiday period), renewed elevation in Feb and Apr–Jun.
  • Dips: March and July stand out as low-cost months.

Comparison with the global baseline

  • Average level: South Africa’s CPL is 2.22x the global median (83.91 vs 37.76), indicating above-market costs for most of the period.
  • Highs and lows:
  • Global high over the same months is 39.63 (Dec 2024); low is 32.84 (Mar 2025), a narrow band versus South Africa’s wide range.
  • Volatility:
  • Global baseline shows modest, steady movement (avg absolute MoM change ~8.5%) versus sharp swings in South Africa.
  • First-to-last change:
  • Global: -2.4% (Dec 2024 → Jul 2025) vs South Africa: -92%.
  • Monthly positioning relative to the global median:
  • Above market: Dec, Feb, Apr, May, Jun.
  • In line/below: Jan slightly below; Mar and Jul well below.

Seasonal patterns

  • December marks the costliest month in South Africa and globally, consistent with typical Q4 holiday advertising pressure.
  • South Africa then sees large corrections in January and March, a rebound through April–June, and another dip in July.
  • The global series remains comparatively flat, reinforcing that the South Africa Recreation and Travel segment experienced outsized swings relative to overall trends.

Understanding cost-per-lead benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry Recreation and Travel and South Africa helps advertisers make more efficient budget and creative choices.

Understanding the Data

Insights & analysis of Facebook advertising costs

Facebook advertising costs vary based on many factors including industry, target audience, ad placement, and campaign objectives. In the Recreation and Travel industry, Facebook ad costs can be influenced by seasonal trends and market competition. For campaigns targeting South Africa, advertisers should consider local market factors and user behavior. Different campaign objectives lead to varying costs based on how Facebook optimizes for your specific goals. The data shown represents median values across multiple campaigns, and individual results may vary based on ad quality, audience targeting, and campaign optimization.

Why we use median instead of average

We use the median CTR because the underlying distribution of click-through rates is highly skewed, with a small share of campaigns achieving extremely high CTRs. These outliers can inflate a simple average, making it less representative of what most advertisers actually experience. By using the median—which sits at the midpoint of all campaigns—we provide a more rigorous and realistic benchmark that reflects the true underlying data model and helps you set attainable performance expectations.

Key Factors Affecting Facebook Ad Costs

  • Competition within your selected industry and audience demographics
  • Ad quality and relevance score – higher quality ads can lower costs
  • Campaign objective and bid strategy
  • Timing and seasonality – costs often increase during holiday periods
  • Ad placement (News Feed, Instagram, Audience Network, etc.)

Note: This data represents industry median values and benchmarks. Your actual costs may vary based on specific targeting, ad creative quality, and campaign optimization.

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The data behind the benchmarks

All data is sourced from over $3B in Facebook ad spend, collected across thousands of ad accounts that use Superads daily to analyze and improve their campaigns. Every data point is fully anonymized and aggregated—no individual advertiser is ever exposed.

This dataset updates frequently as new ad data flows in. It will only get bigger and better.

South Africa Advertising Landscape

National Holidays

Jan 1New Year's Day
Mar 21Human Rights Day
Apr 18Good Friday
Apr 21Family Day
Apr 27Freedom Day
May 1Workers' Day
Jun 16Youth Day
Aug 9National Women's Day
Sep 24Heritage Day
Dec 16Day of Reconciliation
Dec 25Christmas Day
Dec 26Day of Goodwill

Key Shopping Season

Late November (Black Friday/Cyber Monday), December (Christmas & Day of Goodwill), Mid-year retail (June Youth Day promotions)

Potential Advertising Impact

CPM and CPC might rise during long weekends like Human Rights Day, Freedom Day, and Heritage Day as leisure and travel-related media consumption increases. Retail CPMs may spike in late November–December for holiday shopping. Youth Day and National Women's Day might drive regional campaigns. Weekend extensions across public holidays may benefit weekend campaigns.

What is considered a good cost per lead on Facebook in 2025?

A good CPL usually ranges from $10 to $50, depending on your industry and target audience. B2C offers tend to be cheaper, while B2B or high-ticket services may see CPLs over $100.

Why is my CPL higher than industry averages?

Your CPL could be high due to weak creative, irrelevant targeting, or an offer that doesn't resonate. Low engagement or poor conversion rates on your landing page can also drive up costs.

Does campaign objective impact CPL?

Yes. Campaigns optimized for conversions or leads tend to generate cheaper and more qualified leads compared to traffic or engagement objectives. Facebook needs clear signals to find the right users.

How can I generate leads at a lower cost without hurting lead quality?

Focus on improving your offer, targeting the right audience, and using high-converting creative. Test native lead forms, but make sure you're still qualifying users properly.

Should I optimize for leads or conversions if my goal is pipeline growth?

If your goal is sales or revenue, optimizing for deeper funnel conversions is better. Optimizing for leads alone can inflate volume but hurt quality.