If you work in tourism in South Africa, you already know this.
What travellers remember doesn’t come down to only where they stayed or what they saw. It’s the conversation they had over dinner with a local couple. The guide who shared a personal story. Or the patriotic crowd singing the anthem at the pub before the game. These are moments born from the passion of our people.
Travellers are becoming more intentional about their impact. A recent Booking.com Sustainability Study found that 73% of travellers want their spend to support local communities, and 69% want to leave places better than they found them.
For us, that’s not something new to figure out. It’s something we’ve been doing all along.
Across the country, from the kasi to the Karoo, from coastal towns to city neighbourhoods, tourism is already shaped by the people who live here. Local guides, artists, chefs, makers, small business owners. The people who give a place its character.
That’s what visitors respond to. And it’s where our greatest opportunity lies.
Tourism is one of South Africa’s most important industries, contributing close to 9% of GDP and supporting more than 1.5 million jobs. It supports livelihoods, creates businesses, and connects communities. But as the sector grows, there’s a chance for the sector to be more deliberate about that growth and who it benefits.
When local suppliers are part of the experience, when stories are told by the people who own them, when partnerships are built close to home, the value of tourism stays where it matters.
It also makes for a better product.
Guests stay longer. They engage more. They come back. Because the experience feels genuine.
For those who have dedicated their lives to this industry, we’re not starting from scratch. We have to recognise what’s already around us and build on it. The relationships, the culture, the everyday moments that already shape the experience.
We don’t need to manufacture authenticity in South Africa. It’s part of who we are.
The opportunity now is to lean into that magic. To make it more visible, more intentional, and more consistent across what we offer.
Ultimately, sustainability and responsible tourism are central to our future, and our nation’s inherent authenticity allows us to be more intentional, visible, and consistent in everything we do. Let’s not only attract travellers, but let us build an industry that truly reflects the best of who we are.