Johannesburg, Gauteng Tourism Authority (GTA) the official destination marketing agency for the Gauteng City Region is poised to dazzle travel and tourism buyers, exhibitors, wholesalers, and hosted media with a brand-new showcase of the golden province’s world-class sports and music tourism offerings at this year’s Africa’s Travel Indaba (ATI) in Durban, Kwazulu-Natal.
Scheduled to run from the 13th-16th May 2024 at the Durban ICC, Africa’s Travel Indaba serves as a perfect travel trade platform to showcase the province’s growing prowess as the preferred destination for quality and consistent global sports and music tourism events and expertise.
Modern-day travellers and those packaging and selling tourism destinations across the world are now looking for new, authentic, and wholeness experiences, and the golden province of Gauteng is surging ahead in the provision of memorable bleisure and workcation offerings across its five regions. The sports and creative industries are an integral part of our efforts as the activist provincial government of Gauteng to grow and diversify the province’s economy. Tourism serves as a golden thread, direct catalyst, and major beneficiary of a thriving and glocal sports entertainment industry and that’s why we are going all out to harness, package, and promote these new offerings at ATI, explained Tasneem Motara, Gauteng MEC for Economic Development.
As the country celebrates 30 years of democracy and freedom, sports and music played a key role in uniting and building a new nation anchored on the ethos of democracy, peace, and active participation in domestic, regional, and world platforms. From the magnificent showing in the 1995 Rugby World Cup, the 1996 African Cup of Nations, All Africa Games, and Cricket World Cup to the FIFA 2010 World Cup, Gauteng has been the epicentre, champion host, and active driver of the tremendous success of these historic sports and social cohesion building moments.
Working with the municipalities, tourism associations, sports federations, teams, Gautrain and the private sector, Gauteng is set to pioneer the sports tourism route showcasing all the above epic moments inclusive of the historic role played by our townships from Phefeni, Orlando, Tembisa, Atteridgeville to Mamelodi and many more. A remarkable sports tourism route showcasing the birthplace of Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs in Phefeni via Orlando and Emirates Park Stadiums to Naturena Chief’s village and Soccer City, or a shot left to the globally renowned rugby and cricket stadiums, sports science institutes, excellent training grounds, and the kasi community games, the passion for sports and winning runs deep in Gauteng.
The inaugural season of the Betway SA20 cricket tournament hosted in six venues across the country with Gauteng being the only region with 2 stadia rekindled enthusiasm for domestic cricket and injected over R1.4billion into SA economy, R4.1billion into the GDP and created 8233 annualized jobs opportunities and R958million to household income. A significant portion of these benefits were accrued in Gauteng making it the mecca of Africa and global sports entertainment.
Similarly, the SA20 tournament helped to strengthen relations and boosted tourism between India and South Africa with India and China accounting for the largest numbers of outbound tourists globally.
Music tourism is also a critical component of the Gauteng tourism offerings and story with South African music and artists continuing to make global waves and massive impact. From Joburg-born Grammy award-winning Tyla to Pretoria’s finest DJ Maphorisa, East Rand’s Kabza de Small, Soweto Gospel Choir, Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Bacardi music in Pitori to global konkaring sounds of Amapiano, quality music and artistic talent always forms part of the DNA of the golden province.
“As a smart and innovative province and destination, it is important for us to continuously break new grounds and pioneer sustainable avenues that bring the benefits of a growing and developmental tourism sector into the doors of hosting communities, players, and artists.
We are excited about these plans and opportunities as the GTA and looking forward to a rewarding and profitable showcase at Africa’s Travel Indaba. For South Africa’s tourism sector to go back to double digits international tourists’ arrivals figures, a huge role-player like Gauteng needs to pioneer above everyone”, emphasized GTA CEO Sthembiso Dlamini.
Supporting this ambitious yet exciting project to grow Gauteng together through tourism development and promotion is another strong emphasis and top focus on addressing incidents of crime and grime. With the onboarding of the more than 3000 crime prevention wardens or Amapanyaza as they are affectionately known and now recently the 2000 military veterans to help in the fight against crime, residents and visitors alike are set to benefit.
At Africa’s Travel Indaba 2024, we will be assuring global tourism markets and travel trade that Gauteng is serious about fighting crime and hosting communities are also being sensitized about the effects of crime on the visitor economy, destination brand, and overall competitiveness.
Interestingly, the increase in the number of new airline routes and air connectivity into OR Tambo International and private charter flights for film crews, medical rescue, cargo, and logistics bodes well for the development and deepening of these new sports and music tourism routes and experiences Gauteng tourism is pioneering. The SAA Perth to Joburg and Sao Paulo to Joburg routes offer traveling sports teams, fans, and thousands of dance and Amapiano music lovers a seamless and direct route to the Golden province. “We are looking forward to connecting more flights into Gauteng as use these to leverage sports matches like the coming Springboks series, the Rugby championship, African Football League matches, and other sporting codes”, concluded Dlamini.
For more information and blow-by-blow coverage of the Gauteng tourism showcase at Africa’s Travel Indaba 2024, follow us on our social and digital media channels @visitgauteng on X (Twitter) Instagram, and TikTok and I Love Gauteng on Facebook and Gauteng Tourism Authority on LinkedIn, ENDS
Enquiries: Barba Gaoganediwe, Spokesperson Gauteng Tourism Authority
0834467844
@Barba_G74 on twitter www.gauteng.net
