TOURISM NEWS - With Tourism Month in full swing, Deputy Minister of Tourism Maggie Sotyu has called on South Africans to explore the country’s destinations and ensure that local communities and businesses benefit from increased tourism activity.

This year’s Tourism Month is being celebrated under the theme “Growing South Africa’s Tourism Sector in the Digital Era.”

Speaking at the Women in Tourism North West Provincial Chapter Business Breakfast, Sotyu said Tourism Month should be more than an opportunity to showcase destinations.

“It is a time when we showcase our destinations and recognise the contribution tourism makes to our economy. But I want us to add another dimension. Tourism Month must also become a business month for tourism entrepreneurs,” she said.

Sotyu said domestic travellers should be encouraged to support local businesses by spending their tourism Rands within their communities.

“When we encourage South Africans to travel, we must also encourage them to buy from local tourism businesses. When we showcase destinations, we must showcase women-owned products and experiences,” she said.

She urged provinces to ensure that local entrepreneurs are included in Tourism Month activations and benefit from the opportunities created by the campaign.

“And when visitors arrive, our communities must share in the value created. Let us therefore use Tourism Month to encourage South Africans to explore more of the North West Province, because every tourism Rand that circulates through a local business strengthens a community,” Sotyu said.

Empowering women through tourism

Sotyu also highlighted the need to strengthen the economic position of women in the tourism sector, reaffirming government’s commitment to removing barriers to women’s participation, ownership and leadership.

“We must continue removing the barriers that prevent women from participating fully in the economy. We must create opportunities for women to build sustainable businesses. We must create pathways into ownership and leadership. And we must ensure that women can participate across the entire tourism value chain,” she said.

“Because empowered women empower families, communities, economies, and ultimately the nation.”

Access to finance, Sotyu said, remains one of the biggest obstacles facing emerging tourism businesses.

She pointed to the Tourism Transformation Fund, established by the Department of Tourism in partnership with the National Empowerment Fund, which supports black-, youth- and women-owned tourism enterprises.

Women make up about 70% of the tourism workforce, but Sotyu said they remain disproportionately represented in service and entry-level positions, while the number of women owning larger tourism businesses continues to grow slowly.

“For many years, through our Women in Tourism Programme, we have spoken about ensuring that women in this sector are: Respected, Recognised, Represented and Rewarded. Those principles remain important,” she said.

“But the next phase must increasingly be about economic power. Women must not only participate in tourism. Women must own tourism businesses, grow tourism businesses, supply tourism businesses and lead tourism businesses.”

Sotyu commended the North West Women in Tourism Chapter and its leadership, urging it to continue providing a platform where women can connect with opportunities, share knowledge, form partnerships and grow stronger enterprises.

As Tourism Month continues, the message is clear: exploring South Africa can be about more than discovering new destinations - it can also help strengthen local businesses, create opportunities and ensure that tourism’s economic benefits reach communities. - SAnews.gov.za

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