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media briefing
Gauteng Tourism has recorded over R40 billion in foreign tourism revenue and R21 billion in domestic tourism revenue. These figures were revealed on Sunday during a media briefing in Johannesburg by Gauteng Finance and Economic Development MEC Lebogang Maile.
Presenting the tourism performance update for the 2024/25 financial year, Maile reveals that more than R1.8 billion was generated from events held in the province, acknowledging that the tourism sector has faced challenges.
“In recent years, the sector has grappled with several socio-economic and political challenges which have significantly hindered recovery and growth. The sector continues to face several structural challenges, including geopolitical tensions, trade disruptions and “wars”, rising protectionism, which led to increased transport costs and operational complexities, extreme weather events, disrupted travel patterns, and seasonal mobility. Regional conflicts, including the ongoing war in Ukraine, the Middle East, and changing American government posture towards South Africa and many African countries, resulted in rerouted flights, changed travel bookings, and altered travel sentiments generally.”
MEDIA BRIEFING | Destination GAUTENG Tourism Performance
Gauteng has reinforced its status as the most visited province in South Africa and the continent’s most globally connected tourism gateway. In 2024/25, Gauteng recorded over 3.8 million international arrivals, a… pic.twitter.com/ChTRRaMaSG
— Lebogang Maile (@LebogangMaile1) August 10, 2025
New plans
Maile has announced that Gauteng is rolling out new plans to boost tourism and grow local businesses, adding that the province must continue to develop as a top tourist destination.
“What we have presented today is a detailed account of what destination tourism performance is. It 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 is dynamic and resilient.”
