Tourism Month 2025: A Celebration of sustainable travel and inclusive growth
September marks the start of Tourism Month 2025, South Africa’s annual celebration of travel, heritage, and homegrown exploration. As is every year, the focus of Tourism Month is to encourage domestic travel while also extending an invitation to the world to discover the beauty of South Africa. This year, celebrated under the theme “Tourism and Sustainable Transformation”, the campaign is a heartfelt invitation to embrace travel that empowers communities, drives inclusive growth, and leaves a lasting legacy.
Key highlights this year include:
- Sho’t Left Travel Week (7–14 September) – an annual campaign encouraging domestic tourism by tackling affordability head-on. South Africans can access discounts of up to 50% across tourism products and experiences in all nine provinces, making it easier for locals to explore the richness of their country.
- National Parks Week (9–15 September) – offering free day access to selected parks for South African ID-holders, opening the door for more citizens to connect with natural heritage.
- Community-driven experiences nationwide – from township tours to rural cultural routes, travellers can discover grassroots gems that showcase authentic South African stories.
Tourism as a Force for Transformation
This year’s theme underscores tourism’s role as a powerful engine for transformation. With women making up over 70% of the sector’s workforce and a fast-growing base of youth and SMME-led enterprises, tourism holds enormous potential to tackle unemployment and inequality when supported by sustainable initiatives and inclusive policies.
The month was symbolically launched at the Black-owned Sakhumzi Restaurant at Zoo Lake, Johannesburg, a proudly South African venue rooted in township culture. Government stakeholders, private sector partners, and entrepreneurs came together to commit to making 2025 a defining year for sustainable domestic tourism. Among those featured were three dynamic entrepreneurs who participated in enterprise development programmes through Sigma International and Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA):
- Buhle Magwentshu, founder of Asmara, a South African artisanal coffee micro-roastery, aiming to make artisanal coffee accessible to a wide range of customers.
- Mapholo Ratau, founder of the proudly South African brand Ledikana, who is preserving culture through contemporary fashion inspired by African traditions.
- Zandra Habana, visionary behind Inkenzo, who is redefining destination management by creating innovative, women-led travel solutions.
Their stories reflect the resilience, creativity, and innovation that sustainable tourism can unlock when women and SMMEs are placed at the centre.
A National Commitment to Growth
“Tourism Month is about more than travel, it is about nation-building. It is a reminder that every journey taken inside our borders helps fuel the economy, support small businesses, and connect South Africans to the richness of our land and each other,” said Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille.
As South Africa prepares to host the G20-B20 Summit, the role of tourism in showcasing the country’s capabilities, resilience, and authentic stories is more important than ever. Delegates will not only engage in policy discussions but will also experience South Africa’s people, landscapes, culture, and leadership in sustainable tourism.
Raising the Bar: Grading and Transformation
The Tourism Grading Council of South Africa, through its Balanced Quality Verification (BQV) system, ensures that graded establishments and attractions meet world-class standards while supporting transformation. The system is designed to both guarantee quality for visitors and open doors for emerging, black-owned, and women-owned businesses to access markets and compete fairly.
“Tourism is a catalyst for change when it is rooted in communities. From township homestays to rural craft collectives, we are seeing first-hand how tourism can redistribute opportunity. The Grading Council’s BQV system ensures that this opportunity is inclusive, sustainable, and transformative,” said Deputy Minister of Tourism, Maggie Sotyu.
An Invitation to Explore
Across all nine provinces, South Africans are being encouraged to explore, reconnect, and contribute to a tourism sector that is economically empowering and environmentally conscious.
“Don’t wait. Travel this Tourism Month – and beyond. See the country through local eyes. Invest in the kind of travel that grows businesses, builds pride, and transforms communities not just for today, but for generations,” concluded Minister de Lille.
