By Johnathan Paoli
Gauteng’s tourism sector has posted record-breaking results for the 2024/25 period, injecting over R41 billion in foreign tourism revenue into South Africa’s GDP and generating R19 million directly for small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs), according to figures released by the Gauteng Tourism Authority (GTA) on Sunday.
The province welcomed more than 3.8 million international visitors in 2024/25, up from 2.6 million the previous year, cementing its position as South Africa’s most visited province and the continent’s most connected tourism hub.
This influx also accounted for almost half of South Africa’s total international tourist arrivals.
“What we have presented today as a detailed account of our destination tourism performance is not just numbers or statistics from graphs and pie charts. These are direct results of our work in growing Gauteng together, the residue of the Gauteng economy that is dynamic and resilient,” GTA spokesperson Barba Gaoganediwe said.
The GTA acknowledged that 2024 was marked by global uncertainties, including conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, shifting United States foreign policy towards South Africa, extreme weather events, and disrupted travel patterns.
Despite these headwinds, Gauteng’s tourism rebound was driven by improved air connectivity, targeted destination marketing and an increase in hosted international events.
OR Tambo International Airport, which connects to over 25 African cities, continues to serve as a gateway for African and international travellers, drawing “bleisure” visitors, combining business and leisure, for extended stays and repeat trips.
Nationally, the country’s tourism sector contributed R 618.7 billion to the economy in 2024, still 9.4% below pre-pandemic 2019 levels but showing steady recovery.
Domestic tourism remained robust, with South Africans spending R430 billion on local travel.
Most of the country’s international arrivals came from the Southern African Development Community, representing 74% of total visitors, with the remainder from other African and overseas markets such as Europe, North America, and Asia.
Gauteng’s foreign tourism revenue of R41 billion smashed its R29 billion target, while domestic tourism generated R21 billion from 6.4 million trips.
Signature events contributed over R1.8 billion to the provincial economy, with SMMEs pocketing R19 million, a tangible example, Gaoganediwe said, of tourism’s “transformative nature” in creating inclusive economic opportunities.
Gaoganediwe added that Africa continues to lead the way in terms of actual international arrivals, reaffirming Gauteng’s “Africa first” tourism strategy before targeting other key markets such as the US, United Kingdom, Germany, China, India, the Middle East and Brazil.
The GTA credited part of its success to integrated safety and cleanliness measures, including the deployment of crime prevention wardens, tourism monitors, and Johannesburg tourism ambassadors to high-profile events and attractions.
Partnerships with initiatives such as Jozi My Jozi and provincial environmental cleaning teams have helped improve destination management while addressing seasonality challenges.
The province is also promoting responsible consumption campaigns covering gambling, alcohol, and road safety, especially during peak tourism seasons.
Looking ahead, the GTA outlined plans to diversify its tourism offerings through music, sports, and wellness tourism, as well as leveraging Gauteng’s cultural icons and sporting legends to promote the province globally.
A Gauteng Tourism Sports and Wellness Route and Music Tourism Route are being conceptualised as new visitor economy products.
Infrastructure development is also on the agenda, with the reimagining of the Ga-Rankuwa Hotel School into a world-class hospitality training facility in partnership with government, Sector Education Training Authorities and the private sector.
Gauteng has accepted the National Minister’s request to host National World Tourism Day on 27 September at Constitution Hill.
Gaoganediwe said that the province is ready to host the G20 World Leaders Summit, noting Gauteng’s proven track record in hosting large-scale international events.
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