To seize the opportunity for boosting growth and development presented by tourism, South Africa must address airport capacity constraints, particularly at the OR Tambo International Airport, in Gauteng, that create bottlenecks during peak period.

Further, while visa processing has improved, it remains slower than in competing destinations, says business organisation Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) CEO Busi Mavuso.

Skills gaps in hospitality also mean service quality can be inconsistent, while infrastructure in some high-potential areas remains inadequate, leading to some spectacular destinations lacking the roads, accommodation or facilities to absorb visitors at scale.

The tourism sector contributes almost 9% of GDP and provides nearly one-million direct jobs, as well as many more down the value chain. It has also exceeded pre-Covid-19 figures, with the country having attracting 10.5-million visitors in 2025.

The Department of Tourism is targeting 11-million visitors this year.

The obstacles are not insurmountable, but require sustained focus, and the public-private partnership model can address these constraints while capturing new opportunities, Mavuso suggests.

“What business and government have achieved on visa reform and safety partnerships shows that this model works. We need to replicate this model across infrastructure development, skills training and destination marketing,” she says.

Tourism is an important job creator owing to its relatively high youth-absorption rate, high proportion of women and provision of high-quality jobs in rural areas, as well as enabling many small businesses, including black-owned ones.

Substantial investments are also made by international hotel groups.

It can be a highly sustainable industry that does not rely on natural resource extraction, and can fund conservation on a large scale, Mavuso points out.

South Africa is well-positioned to capture demand displaced from Middle East destinations, such as Dubai and Qatar, owing to a shared time zone, comparable infrastructure and political stability.

The global conference and events industry needs reliable destinations unaffected by air travel disruptions and security concerns, she points out.

Additionally, business tourism is particularly high-value, as these visitors spend more, stay longer and often return for leisure. The window of opportunity will not stay open indefinitely and other destinations are positioning themselves aggressively.

“South Africa needs marketing targeted towards conference organisers, expedited visa processing for displaced workers and direct engagement with multinational companies that are relocating staff.

“Our success in securing business events shows we can compete, and we should prioritise capturing this displaced demand while it is available,” recommends Mavuso.

Cabinet is in the process of approving the Tourism Growth Partnership Plan, which is a public-private-sector initiative that focuses on developing new tourism infrastructure and products.

The growth strategy includes making visa processes simpler and faster and targeting emerging markets such as India and Mexico, while supporting tourists from traditional markets such as Europe to explore further afield.

Efforts are being made to promote less-visited places like Clarens, in the Free State, and Cape Agulhas, in the Western Cape, to reinforce that South Africa offers more than safaris and Table Mountain, Mavuso notes.

Additionally, tourism can help finance infrastructure that has an impact on many different economic sectors, such as transport and communications infrastructure.

“Tourism is an economic opportunity that we can grasp. However, explicit efforts must be made to ensure that the spillover effects from tourism lead to greater economic resilience and job creation,” she says.