The legislative mission of the South African Tourism Authority (SA Tourism) is to promote South Africa as a world-class travel destination through transparent leadership, responsible governance and strategic marketing activities. Tourism is a key driver of South Africa's economy and our role is to ensure this sector remains vibrant, continues to grow and attracts both domestic and international visitors. The success of our marketing strategy is reflected in our business results.
Tourism sector performance
SA Tourism welcomes President Cyril Ramaphosa's reaffirmation of the important role the tourism sector plays in promoting inclusive economic growth, job creation and sustainable development. In his latest letter to the people, the President highlighted South Africa's unparalleled natural beauty, vibrant cultural heritage and world-class infrastructure, which position the country as a premier tourist destination. He said that
The country's tourism sector continues to show strong recovery and growth. Between January and October 2024, South Africa welcomed 7.2 million visitors. This is a significant increase of 5.7% compared to the same period last year. Early indicators from the recent holiday season suggest strong performance for the sector, including high occupancy rates and active participation in events across the country.
In the business events sector, SA Tourism has so far won 53 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 more than 24 000 participants from 2024 to 2029, strengthening South Africa's position as a leading destination for global conferences and events. further strengthen its position.
Governance and leadership updates
SA Tourism remains firmly committed to good governance and ethical practices. Filling of important vacancies in the organization is underway. The newly appointed Chief Operating Officer took office on January 7, 2025. The recruitment process for the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Internal Auditor is underway.
Marketing and budget management
SA Tourism actively promotes South Africa in key markets, with an intrepid team driving the campaign nationally and internationally. The process of appointing a global marketing agency that complies with National Treasury regulations is underway. SA Tourism is committed to maintaining the integrity of all procurement processes. An independent forensic investigation into the Strategic Events bid began in December 2024 and is currently ongoing.
“As previously corrected in a statement issued on 16 December 2024, no bidder has won the R100-million event management tender.The current SA Tourism management and leadership team We are working on research, so inaccurate information about a surplus of 80% that does not exist will not force us to spend recklessly. , a record high, with 72% of the budget already spent, demonstrating our commitment to optimizing our budget,” said Nombulelo Gliwe, CEO of South African Tourism.
For the future
SA Tourism's goal is to build confidence in South Africa as an attractive global travel destination. SA Tourism remains committed to driving sustainable growth in the sector, promoting inclusive economic growth and contributing to reducing unemployment, while maintaining our country's unparalleled heritage, including its rich cultural and natural heritage. We are unwavering in our commitment to transmitting unique beauty to the world.
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