South Africa’s Tourism diversity poised to attract global travelers

Tuesday, March 5, 2024

South Africa’s abundance of captivating tourism offerings, spanning from stunning landscapes and thrilling safaris to rich historical and cultural experiences, along with its array of high-quality accommodation options, positions it favorably to draw more travelers from across the globe.

South African Tourism, the national agency entrusted with promoting South Africa as a premier tourist hotspot, is set to join forces with the broader tourism industry at the Internationale Tourismus-Börse (ITB) in Berlin, Germany. This esteemed global trade event, themed “Pioneer the Transition in Travel & Tourism. The event is slated to run from March 5th to 7th, 2024.

Aligned with the theme, South Africa’s presence at ITB Berlin underscores a unified effort and underscores the collaborative ethos that contributed to welcoming 8.5 million international visitors between January and December 2023.

“We are going to ITB 2024 as one “Team South Africa” comprised of a wide variety of products and experiences. We have put the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic behind us and we are pioneering our transition by ensuring that we showcase our exceptional tourism offering and indeed improve South Africa’s brand appeal and inspire travellers to choose to book and come visit South Africa,” says South African Tourism Chief Executive Officer, Nombulelo Guliwe. 

Among the South African delegation are 63 tourism products and services, which include 15 Small Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) from nine provinces, showcasing the distinctive and culturally diverse tourism offerings of South Africa.

“The last few years have been tough for global travel and tourism as the world was gripped by the COVID-19 pandemic. All the changes that have occurred in the past few years have significantly impacted on how we live our lives, interact and socialise and of course how we engage in other economic and leisure activities. This has been nothing short of evolutionary and has required that we transition into the new norm.  As “Team South Africa” we go to ITB driven by our passion to market our country and to finding the best partners that will partner with us in our transition and ensure that we position our country as the best tourism destination in the world,” adds Guliwe.

As part of the activities planned for “Team South Africa” at ITB 2024, a “Destination South Africa Showcase” will kick off with a media panel discussion on the trade show’s first day, March 5th. Following this, there will be a dedicated trade and media engagement session designed to maximize networking opportunities for all South African SMMEs with key partners. Throughout the event, meetings will be held with both existing and potential partners to reinforce South Africa’s appeal as the preferred destination for travelers from diverse markets. To enhance networking further, there will also be a display of select South African wines at the South Africa stand.

Fifteen SMMEs will be among the companies exhibiting at Stand 201 in Hall 20, reflecting a concerted effort to provide these enterprises with market access to showcase and promote their products on the international stage.

“We are looking forward to reconnecting with our long-standing partners while also forging new connections at this year’s ITB Berlin.  Our country has what travellers are looking for. Our tourism products also allow them to travel more responsibly so they can make a positive impact and contribute to the preservation of our planet. Through the work that we do with our partners we can package and promote South Africa”.

While ITB Berlin serves as a global trade show, its geographic location naturally tilts its focus toward Europe. Europe remains a substantial contributor to South Africa’s international tourism sector. During the period from January to December 2023, South Africa experienced a notable surge in European tourism, welcoming a considerable influx of visitors.million tourist arrivals, representing a noteworthy 38.2% increase from the previous year.Among European countries, the United Kingdom stands out as the top source market, contributing 356,160 tourists to South Africa, reflecting a substantial growth of 25.8% compared to 2022. Germany followed closely with a 41.6% increase in arrivals compared to the previous year, totaling 245,259 tourists. The Netherlands also experienced a significant surge, with a 45.5% increase in arrivals compared to 2022, amounting to 131,371 tourist arrivals between January and December 2023.

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