South African Tourism (SA Tourism)’s legislative mandate is to promote South Africa as a world-class destination through transparent leadership, responsible governance, and strategic
marketing initiatives. Tourism is a key driver of South Africa’s economy, and our role is to ensure the sector remains vibrant and continues to grow and attract both domestic and international travellers. The success of our marketing strategy manifests itself in our performance.
Tourism Sector Performance
SA Tourism welcomes President Cyril Ramaphosa’s reaffirmation of the vital role the tourism sector plays in driving inclusive economic growth, job creation, and sustainable development. In his latest letter to the nation, the President highlighted South Africa’s unmatched natural beauty, vibrant cultural heritage, and world-class infrastructure, which have positioned the country as a premier tourism destination.
The country’s tourism sector continues to show strong recovery and growth. Between January and October 2024, South Africa welcomed 7.2 million visitors – an impressive 5.7% increase compared to the same period last year. Early indicators from the recent festive season suggest strong sector performance, with high occupancy rates and strong participation in events across the country.
In the business events space, SA Tourism has so far secured fifty-three bids for international events in the 2024/25 financial year (1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025). These events are expected to generate R616-million for the economy and attract over 24,000 delegates between 2024 and 2029, further cementing South Africa’s position as a premier destination for global conferences and events.
Governance and Leadership Updates
SA Tourism remains steadfast in its commitment to good governance and ethical practices. The filling of critical vacant positions within the organisation is ongoing. The newly appointed Chief Operations Officer assumed office on 7 January 2025. The recruitment process for Chief Financial Officer and Chief Internal Auditor is underway.
Marketing and Budget Management
SA Tourism is actively promoting South Africa in key markets, with resolute teams driving campaigns domestically and internationally. The process to appoint a global marketing agency in compliance with National Treasury regulations is ongoing. SA Tourism is committed to upholding the integrity of all procurement processes. An independent forensic investigation into a strategic events tender was initiated in December 2024 and is currently underway.
“As previously corrected in the statement issued on the16th of December 2024, no bidder has been awarded a R100 million event management tender. The current SA Tourism management and leadership team is committed to interrogating costs. As such, even inaccurate information about a non-existent 80% surplus will not coerce us into spending recklessly. Our organisational performance at the end of December 2024, was at an all-time high of 92% with 72% of our budget already spent demonstrating commitment to budget optimization,” says Chief Executive Officer of South African Tourism, Nombulelo Guliwe.
Looking Ahead
SA Tourism’s goal is building confidence in South Africa as an attractive global destination. SA Tourism remains focused on driving sustainable growth in the sector and we are unwavering in our commitment to showcasing our country’s unparalleled beauty including our rich cultural and natural heritage to the world, while driving inclusive economic growth, and contributing to the reduction of unemployment.