Tshwane aims to boost economic growth by showcasing tourism at C20 and G20 meetings

IOL News

3 days ago

MMC for Economic Development and Spatial Planning, Sarah Mabotsa, stated that the tourism sector is a crucial part of the South African economy, and the city aims to prioritise this sector to stimulate job creation and economic growth.
Image: Supplied / City of Tshwane
The City of Tshwane is set to leverage the C20 and G20 meetings in South Africa to showcase its capabilities, hospitality, and infrastructure in hosting international conferences.
Member of Mayoral Committee for Economic Development and Spatial Planning, Sarah Mabotsa, said the tourism sector is a vital component of the South African economy, and the city aims to boost job creation and economic growth by prioritising this sector.
She highlighted the importance of tourism, citing its significant contribution to the country's economy.
"In 2024, tourism and travel contributed R618 billion to the South African economy – R117 billion from international visitors and R430 billion from domestic travel spending. Importantly, the sector also provided employment to 1.8 million people in South Africa," she said.
The city recently co-hosted the 2025 Urban20 (U20) meetings with the City of Joburg at the CSIR in Pretoria, which brought together tourism stakeholders from across Africa and globally.
The theme of the session was "Harnessing Tourism for Inclusive and Sustainable Cities".
The meetings, Mabotsa said, offered a platform to explore how tourism can transform cities into more inclusive, resilient, and future-focused hubs.
She emphasised that hosting the U20 meetings in Tshwane aligns with the city's focus on growing the meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions component of the business tourism sector.
'At the same time, promoting township tourism, an example of which is the activities of the Friends of Toloane, aligns with our economic growth strategy's prioritisation of both the tourism and township economy sectors,' she said.
The Friends of Toloane, under its director Thabang Rabotho, promotes environmental awareness and conservation within the Toloane Nature Reserve and has received notable recognition for its efforts.
The City of Tshwane is confident that the entity's participation in the C20 and G20 meetings will help to promote its tourism sector and showcase its capabilities to a global audience.
Rabotho said: 'Our youth are at the forefront of preserving our natural heritage, using their voices and actions to champion environmental justice in our communities. Through initiatives like the Toloane Youth Water Network, they are proving that young people are not just beneficiaries of change - they are leading it. In them, we see the future of a greener, more just Tshwane.'
The issue of safety was also addressed at the U20 meeting, with Mabotsa noting that Tshwane has been recognised as the safest city in South Africa, as reported by the SA Cities Network Safe Cities 2024t.
The city, she said, has seen further decreases in nearly all reported crime categories in 2025, as evidenced by the SAPS quarterly report for January to March 2025.
Following the meetings, the city organised a trip for delegates to the Union Buildings, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Dinokeng Big Five Game Reserve.
The Dinokeng project, a public-private partnership, has generated over 1,000 job opportunities and numerous small businesses that support or benefit from the reserve's tourism activities.
Mabotsa promised that the multiparty coalition government will actively showcase Tshwane to the world, encouraging residents to proudly promote the city and encourage friends and family to visit.
[email protected]