Speech by the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Ms. Makhotso Sotyu at Tourism Transformation Council strategic review workshop
Honourable Programme Director, Chairperson and Members of the Tourism Transformation Council of South Africa, Representatives from the tourism sector, business, labour, and civil society, Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good morning,
As South Africa celebrates Africa Month and hosts Africa's Travel Indaba in Durban, we are reminded that tourism is not only about destinations and arrivals. Tourism is fundamentally about people. It is about opportunity. It is about inclusion. And importantly, it is about transformation.
Transformation in tourism cannot simply remain a policy aspiration or a compliance exercise. It must become visible in ownership patterns, procurement systems, management structures, access to markets, and the lived economic realities of communities across our country.
The work of the Tourism Transformation Council of South Africa is therefore critically important.
The Council exists at the intersection of economic inclusion, accountability, and sector development. Your work contributes directly to government’s broader priorities of driving inclusive growth and job creation, reducing poverty, and building a capable, ethical, and developmental state.
It also aligns strongly with the Tourism Growth Partnership Plan, which recognises that sustainable tourism growth must be accompanied by meaningful transformation across the tourism value chain.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Tourism remains one of the sectors with the greatest potential to create jobs quickly and inclusively. It is labour-intensive, geographically diverse, and deeply connected to communities. But we must also acknowledge honestly that the pace of transformation within parts of the tourism sector remains uneven. Many of the challenges highlighted through the Council’s stakeholder consultations reflect realities that communities and emerging enterprises continue to face daily. These are not simply administrative issues. These are developmental issues. They speak directly to whether tourism is contributing meaningfully to social justice, economic inclusion, and long-term national development. This is why the work of the TTCSA matters.
Programme Director,
I wish to commend the Council for the work undertaken since its appointment in 2024. The establishment of governance systems, the development of a strategic plan, stakeholder consultations across provinces, and the establishment of a central repository system all represent important institutional milestones.
Equally significant is the strengthening of collaboration between the Department of Tourism, the private sector, and the Council itself. The establishment of a dedicated transfer funding line through National Treasury represents an important show of commitment to the sustainability of the Council and the important oversight role it plays within the sector. Transformation work requires institutions that are credible, accountable, sustainable, and properly capacitated. In this regard, governance and compliance remain critically important.
I note the ongoing work around monitoring systems, verification processes, and real-time compliance dashboards. These are important interventions because transformation must be measurable, transparent, and evidence based.
The role of the South African National Accreditation System, SANAS, is particularly important in this regard. SANAS is effectively the stethoscope of the transformation mandate - enabling the sector to diagnose, monitor, and safeguard the integrity of compliance and accreditation systems. Strengthening these systems strengthens confidence in the transformation process itself.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The concerns raised about delays, administrative bottlenecks, and access to support services remind us that transformation is not only about policy frameworks but also about implementation capability. This includes improving coordination across government institutions, strengthening support for MSMEs, accelerating approval processes, and ensuring that tourism opportunities reach communities that have historically been excluded from the mainstream economy.
Transformation must also be spatially inclusive. The growth of tourism cannot remain confined to established tourism corridors. Rural communities, townships, villages, and emerging destinations must increasingly become active participants and beneficiaries in the tourism economy. That is how tourism contributes meaningfully to inclusive growth. That is how tourism creates dignity. And that is how tourism supports social cohesion and nation-building.
Programme Director,
A transformed tourism sector is not only more just - it is more innovative, more resilient, more representative, and ultimately more sustainable. Let us continue working together - government, business, labour, civil society, and communities - to ensure that tourism becomes a sector in which all South Africans can participate meaningfully and benefit equitably.
True transformation will not be measured only through scorecards or compliance reports. It will be measured by whether tourism changes lives. Whether it creates opportunities for young people. Whether it supports women-owned enterprises. Whether rural and township businesses can access markets. Whether tourism growth reaches those who have historically been excluded from economic participation. That is the work before us. And that is the responsibility we collectively carry.
I wish you productive engagements during this Strategy Review Workshop and look forward to outcomes that move beyond discussion and deliver tangible, measurable transformation across the tourism sector.
I thank you.
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