jobs in tourism industry in south africa

Tourism Industry jobs in South Africa

Sales general manager - tourism / events.

Time Personnel

• Cape Town, Western Cape

Credit Control Manager - Travel & Tourism

RMV Solution

• Johannesburg, Gauteng

Customer Account Manager - Tourism Industry

RPO Recruitment

TOURISM SALES REPRESENTATIVE FOR CAPE TOWN AND THE ATLANTIC SEABOARD

Relationship manager (tourism - inventory & partnerships).

• Western Cape

Internal Sales Representative - Travel and Tourism

• Bryanston, Johannesburg
• R12,000-15,000 per month

Associate Professor /Senior Lecturer (Permanent) and Rotational Head of Department (5-year contract)- Tourism & Events Management

Cape Peninsula University of Technology

Communications Coordinator: Fixed Term Contract: Tourism Sector - Hybrid, Cape Town

VGP Recruitment

Tourism Liaison Officer

• South Africa

Recruitment Consultant (Travel/Tourism/DMC)

Black Pen Recruitment

Tourism Liaison Officer - Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve (Level 5)

Adventure tourism – maintenance and tourism all rounder.

• Elgin, Western Cape

Spanish Travel Consultant - Inbound Leisure Tourism

ABC Worldwide

Portuguese Travel Consultant - Inbound Leisure Tourism

Sales consultant tourism.

Star Personnel Recruitment

ClarkHouse Human Capital

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List of Popular Careers in South African Tourism Industry

Ever wondered which jobs are taking the lead in South Africa’s booming tourism industry? Curious to know how you can be a part of this ever-expanding sector? South Africa’s tourism industry is a dynamic and growing sector that plays a vital role in the country’s economy. Known for its diverse landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and abundant wildlife, the country offers a wide range of experiences to tourists from all over the world. This thriving tourism industry has created numerous employment opportunities for South Africans and foreigners alike. In this article, we will explore some of the popular careers in the South African tourism industry.

Table of Contents

List of Popular Careers in the South African Tourism Industry

The list of popular careers in the South African tourism industry is both diverse and exciting, offering opportunities for various skill sets and interests. Traditional roles such as tour operators, travel agents, and hotel managers continue to be in high demand. These roles focus on planning holidays, making reservations, and managing hospitality services, respectively. Unique to the South African landscape are safari guides, who offer expert navigation and educational experiences around the country’s rich biodiversity. The industry also includes events coordinators who manage logistics for special events like music festivals and cultural activities. With the rise of digital media, newer roles like travel bloggers or influencers and tourism marketers have emerged. These careers involve promoting destinations and travel experiences through social media and other online platforms. Additionally, customer service representatives and airline staff are integral in providing information and ensuring a smooth travel experience for tourists.

Tour Operator

One of the cornerstones of the tourism sector, tour operators are responsible for organizing and planning holidays. They negotiate contracts, manage bookings, and ensure that tourists enjoy a seamless experience. This career offers a blend of strategic planning and customer service skills.

For instance, companies like Thompsons Africa offer bespoke packages and cater to diverse travel interests.

Travel Agent

As a liaison between the tourist and the travel experience, travel agents provide recommendations, make reservations, and offer advice on travel options. They must have an in-depth understanding of various destinations, airlines, and accommodation options.

Flight Centre , one of the leading travel agencies in South Africa, offers everything from flight bookings to complete holiday packages.

Hotel Manager

Hospitality is a significant component of the tourism industry. Hotel managers oversee the operations of hotels, lodges, or bed and breakfast establishments. Duties include managing staff, finances, and ensuring guest satisfaction. This career requires both managerial acumen and customer service skills.

Tsogo Sun Hotels , a giant in the South African hospitality industry, employs over 10,000 people.

Safari Guide

Being a safari guide is one of the most uniquely South African careers in tourism. These guides are the custodians of the wilderness, offering expert navigation and insight into South Africa’s rich biodiversity. A safari guide needs a comprehensive knowledge of flora, fauna, and tracking techniques.

Kruger National Park , one of Africa’s largest game reserves, employs safari guides to offer immersive experiences.

Events Coordinator

Tourists often visit South Africa to attend special events like music festivals, cultural events, or sporting competitions. An events coordinator manages the logistics of these activities, ensuring a smooth and memorable experience for all attendees.

Cape Town’s Jazz Festival, one of the largest music events in Sub-Saharan Africa, relies on a team of skilled events coordinators for its successful execution.

Travel Blogger/Influencer

With the rise of social media, travel blogging and influencing have become viable careers. Individuals share their travel experiences and insights to inspire others and promote various destinations or services. This often involves collaboration with travel brands and tourism boards.

South African travel blogger Natalie Roos has successfully turned her love for travel into a full-time career.

Tourism Marketer

The role of a tourism marketer involves promoting tourist destinations through various channels. This may include digital marketing strategies like search engine optimization (SEO), social media advertising, and content creation.

South African Tourism’s “Sho’t Left” campaign aims to promote local travel and has been a huge success, thanks to effective tourism marketing.

Customer Service Representative

Many tourists require assistance during their travels, making customer service representatives an essential part of the industry. These individuals provide information, resolve issues, and offer guidance to visitors, often serving as the first point of contact.

Airports Company South Africa employs hundreds of customer service representatives to assist both domestic and international travellers.

Airline Staff

Whether it’s pilots, cabin crew, or ground staff, airline employees play a crucial role in the tourism sector. They ensure safe and comfortable travel, which is the first step in a tourist’s journey to explore South Africa.

South African Airways employs over 4,500 staff, including pilots, cabin crew, and ground staff.

The tourism industry in South Africa offers a wide array of career options, from traditional roles like tour operators and travel agents to emerging fields like travel blogging and digital marketing. With tourism being a key contributor to the South African economy, the opportunities for career growth in this sector are abundant.

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Top 10 highest paying tourism jobs in south africa (2024).

Tourism is superb in South Africa, particularly if we should compare with several others in the continent. And one of the beautiful things about the tourism sector is the wide opportunities attached to it. Different people belonging to different careers can easily find a place in the sector and flourish accordingly.

We will see some amazing career opportunities in tourism in the country. These indeed are not just fun-filled enterprises, but are some of the highest paying tourism jobs in South Africa.

Top 10 Highest Paying Tourism Jobs In South Africa

In no particular order or ranking, let’s explore them:

1. Hotel Manager

In every country, hotels are crucial as far as tourism is concerned. Hence, the individual in charge of overseeing all aspects of running one (I.e the hotel manager) is very pivotal. Rising to the top of the ladder to become a manager of a classic hotel in South Africa means you have to be a professional in the field. Therefore, it is reasonable that such people are some of the highest paid in the sector. A top Hotel General Manager in a top South African hotel can earn a whopping ZAR 1,128,524 a year.

2. Travel Agent

The job of a Travel agent is basically to plan and book trips for clients. In spite of the numerous tools available online today that helps anyone research and book their own travel plans all by themselves, a lot of people still prefer working with a Travel Agent for obvious reasons. The well experienced travel agent in South Africa can earn up to R291,564 per annum, as well as an average bonus of R33,821. Hence, this job is one of the highest paying in the tourism sector.

3. Event & Conference Organiser

This job revolves around planning events for clients. Actually, it takes a whole lot to put up an event together. Indeed, many folks would simply prefer handing over the hard works to a professional that can make things easier for them, and won’t mind paying for the service. Therefore, you can earn up to R 450 000 a year on this job.

4. Spa Manager

Another popular tourism inclined destination is the spa. A lot of tourists enjoys having a swell time in these places while visiting. Therefore, many of such businesses are earning reasonably well – justifying the good salaries of spa managers (who works hard everyday to see to the smooth running of the day-to-day activities there). The average pay for a Spa Manager in South Africa is ZAR 268,798 a year.

5. Tour Operator

They are professionals who combines tour and travel components to make holiday packages, partnering with different service providers to make this a reality. You can earn up to R 258 000 per year in this field, and it’s one of the highest paying in tourism.

6. Tour Guide

They are pivotal as far as the travel industry is concerned, and they offer crucial services which many tourists are usually eager to pay for. These experts (they have superb knowledge of specific areas) gives guided tours to groups of visitors/tourists (walking tours, bus tours, boat tours, etc). Aside the knowledge aspect, they are also excellent communicators. In fact, some tour guides speaks more than one language.

7. Executive Chef

The average executive chef salary in South Africa is R 330 000 per year. Hence, this career is another lucrative one in the tourism sector in South Africa. These guys are in charge of a restaurant’s kitchen, and they are really good with their jobs. We don’t have to place emphasis on the place of food as far as this sector is concerned. Therefore, Executive Chefs are doing a very important job to ensure pleasantness as far as the food is concerned.

8. Sommelier

These experts in wines are purposefully employed by big restaurants for sake of all that concerns wine (which fetches them a whole lot of money). They are professionals who are vehemently trained, and as such are properly paid. Also, depending on where they work, the job may be really tasking.

9. PR Manager

These are also experts whose job is to manage a brand’s reputation. Their job revolves around being the firm’s spokesperson, and they have an integral role in the tourist field too. They can work for a game reserve, a hotel, and so on. They are paid to basically plan, develop, and execute specific strategies to build and maintain the overall reputation of the company they are working for. They write and even syndicate lovely press releases about the company, amongst others.

Also, they have to have all it takes to deal with potential crisis situations (meaning these guys have superb communication and problem-solving skills). Finally, the average salary for a Public Relations (PR) Manager in South Africa is R291,012.

10. Leisure Activity Co-ordinator

Finally, just in case you want an exciting job opportunity in the tourism terrain of South Africa and you don’t know what to opt for, you can actually settle for being this. Usually, these guys work for resorts and hotel chains, as their job is to see to it that any planned activities run smoothly.

Leisure Activity Co-ordinators ensures that all aspect of the day-to-day management of a leisure centre will go well. They also engage guests properly (which points to the need to have excellent interpersonal skills), spending a whole lot of time with them. It can be a pleasurable job if you have interest in things like this.

In Conclusion

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Top 5 Tourism Careers in South Africa

Think back to your last holiday. Think of all its highlights; the accommodation, the places you visited, the food you ate and everything in between. What is the common thread that kept all these things working as they should? The answer is the people; the staff members at every establishment you visited during your trip. The tourism industry is fueled by customer service, making it one of the most instantly gratifying industries to work in as you are in the business of ensuring that people have a good time.

In this article, we’ll be exploring the top 5 tourism careers in South Africa, the skills needed to work in this industry, and the training we at iQ Academy can offer to help you put your best foot forward in your career in the tourism industry.

Skills needed to work in the tourism industry

Like any career path, there are specialised skills required for a successful career in tourism. These include:

• Customer service skills
• Networking skills
• Communication skills
• Flexibility skills
• Organisational skills
• Language skills
• Time management
• Study skills
• Team work skills
• Cultural awareness

1. Travel Agent

Travel Agents usually work for travel companies/agencies to match tourists with suitable travel products. An important part of the Travel Agent’s job is understanding their client in order to make the relevant recommendations.

Job description of a Travel Agent

The job description of a Travel Agent may vary from company to company but understanding the client is a fundamental step in finding the right travel product. This often includes finding and booking flights, accommodation, tours, car rental and comprehensive travel packages for individuals or groups.

Average salary of a Travel Agent in South Africa

Travel agent salary.

According to salary surveys from Payscale, here are some details around the average salaries of Travel Agent in South Africa:

• Average salary:

R139,500 per year

Average salary by years of experience:

Source: Payscale

2. Tour Operator

Tour Operators plan and organise trips for tourists/travelers using their own understanding of an area or attraction, seasonality and travel trends. They can work independently or as part of a company.

Job description of a Tour Operator

The role of a Tour Operator can easily be confused with that of a travel agent. Although they both are involved in the planning of a trip, a Tour Operator will put together a travel package, for example a holiday package including transport, accommodation and entertainment but not with a specific client in mind. They can sell this package to a client directly or through a travel agent.

Average salary of a Tour Operator in South Africa

Tour operator salary.

According to salary surveys from Payscale, here are some details around the average salaries of Tour Operators in South Africa:

R209,000 per year

Average salary by years of experience: 

3. Tourism Administrator

Tourism or Travel Administrators are involved in managing tourism establishments like hotels, guest houses, lodges, attractions and more. They are responsible for managing visitors and ensuring that their needs are met and being involved in the marketing of an establishment.

Job description of a Tourism Administrator

Tourism Administrators are responsible for the day-to-day tasks involved in managing and marketing a tourism establishment. This can involve commissioning of flyers and other marketing materials, liaising with the media on behalf of the establishment, organising special events and exhibitions, and managing staff.

Average salary of a Tourism Administrator in South Africa

Tourism administrator salary.

According to salary surveys from Payscale, here are some details around the average salaries of Tourism Administrator in South Africa:

R267,097 per year

4. Guest Relations Officer

The Guest Relations role is a customer service function. They are often responsible for making guests feel welcome and well-informed, making sure that they have a seamless experience at an establishment.

Job description of a Guest Relations Officer

Guest Relations Officers are often responsible for meeting and greeting guests, responding to their needs, managing check-in and check-out processes, and analysing guest feedback to help an establishment improve its service offering. They must possess excellent communication and problem-solving skills to ensure outstanding service.

Average salary of a Guest Relations Officer in South Africa

Guest relations officer salary.

According to salary surveys from Payscale, here are some details around the average salaries of Guest Relations Officers in South Africa:

R127,719 per year

5. Front Desk Operator

Front Desk Operators or agents are the first point of contact guests encounter at an establishment. They are responsible for ensuring a seamless checking in and out process, managing reservations made online and telephonically and providing any information guests require concerning an establishment.

Job description of a Front Desk Operator

Front Desk Operators perform the administrative tasks involved in checking guests in and out of establishments like facilitating payments, logging and resolving complaints, adjusting reservations and recommending additional products where necessary. Front Desk Operators often also handle some bookkeeping duties like balancing cash accounts.

Average salary of a Front Desk perator in South Africa

Front desk operator salary.

According to salary surveys from Payscale, here are some details around the average salaries of Front Desk Operator in South Africa:

R139,269 per year

What You’ll Learn During Your Online Tourism Short Course

At iQ Academy, we offer the Introduction to Tourism Management Short Course , suitable for individuals who would like to pursue one of the top 5 tourism careers in South Africa and more.

Some of the course’s modules you can look forward to include The Tourism System, Introduction to Travel Operations, and Introduction to Tourism Geographics.

Course duration: 6 months

Study method: Fully online, which means all course materials and lessons will be delivered online. Alternatively, you can choose the online supported study method, which allows you to blend online learning with the use of textbooks.

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Tourism in South Africa - statistics & facts

The effects of the covid-19 pandemic, a higher domestic tourist spending, increasing accommodation availability and dropping occupancy rate, key insights.

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Discover How & Why a Tourism Management Course Will Take You Places

This article will cover what tourism management is, the state of the industry in South Africa, the benefits of working in tourism, and the top jobs available in the tourism and hospitality industries so you can decide if it’s the right fit for you.

If you’ve always dreamed of a fulfilling, adventurous career in the tourism industry, then a tourism management course might be ideal for you.

With many benefits associated with a job in this industry, such as flexible hours and the opportunity to meet people from around the globe, it’s the perfect solution for people who enjoy living life to the fullest.

MANCOSA offers a Higher Certificate in Tourism Management that’ll provide you with all the fundamental skills you need to succeed in this growing industry.

What is tourism management?

Tourism management oversees all activities related to the tourism, travel, and hospitality industries. These include planning tours, providing accommodation, making travel arrangements, ensuring policies are upheld, and more.

Studying tourism management gives students the needed skills, knowledge, and experience to gain jobs and have fulfilling careers within tourism.

Furthermore, it equips students with general business management skills and marketing abilities, so they can be in charge of all aspects and ensure customer satisfaction.

State of the tourism and hospitality industry in South Africa

Global tourism has seen massive challenges in the past two years due to the global pandemic — with over 62 million jobs worldwide having been lost in 2020. It’s no surprise that South Africa’s tourism industry also plummeted during that time.

However, since then, countries from around the world, including SA, have made it a priority to develop tourism and gain back the jobs which were lost.

As such, more people are being hired.

One of the main drivers for tourism in South Africa remains our natural resources, such as National Parks, wildlife, landscapes, Nature Reserves, and richness in fauna and flora. In fact, according to the 2021 Travel and Tourism Development report, SA was ranked 13th in the world for these resources.

The number of tourists visiting South Africa is increasing drastically, with SA’s tourist arrivals having increased to 737,350 in July 2022 up from 581,375 in June 2022.

While the South African tourism industry is still in the recovery phase, its growth proves that more and more jobs are becoming available. This creates great opportunities to break into this industry and be an excellent tourism worker.

Why study a tourism management course?

Join a rapidly growing global industry

Despite the dip the tourism industry has taken in recent years, it’s one of the fastest-growing areas of employment in the world.

A sense of optimism has returned to the tourism industry since travel demand has increased dramatically in the past couple of months. According to the UNWTO’s latest World Tourism Barometer, international tourism has increased by 182% from January-March 2022.

And there’s no sign that the growth will be stopping anytime soon.

Culturally enriching

Tourism creates a sense of community amongst travellers from all over the world as people get to experience different cultures and customs.

As a tourism professional, you’ll get to meet people from all walks of life and experience their beliefs, cultures, and way of life.

Opportunities to travel

Tourism professionals can apply for job opportunities in different parts of the world. This allows you to travel to various destinations and explore other countries, communities, natural resources, and wildlife.

Flexible working hours and conditions

A career in tourism offers countless opportunities — many of them having non-traditional work hours. Depending on the job you apply for, you’ll also get to work in non-traditional settings, such as on planes, cruise ships, resorts, and more.

This makes it a stimulating work environment, ideal for someone who enjoys living life to the fullest and experiencing things that most people don’t. Life becomes an adventure. Here are seven reasons why you should study a tourism management course.

Opportunities to specialise

Studying tourism management means you can specialise in a particular area. There are four main sectors of tourism including:

• Food and Beverage
• Accommodation
• Entertainment and Recreation
• Travel and Tourism

As you become more familiar with the industry and what’s included, you’ll see which sector you enjoy most and can specialise in.

Gain transferable skills

A tourism management course will teach you fundamental skills related to business management, marketing, human resources, project management, sustainability, and more.

This means you’ll gain a well-rounded skill set that enables you to work in other industries besides tourism and hospitality.

Top jobs when you study a tourism management course

Here’s a list of some positions you could apply for after successfully completing a Higher Certificate in Tourism Management.

Travel agent

Travel agents are responsible for selling and coordinating transportation, insurance, accommodation, travel activities, and tours.

They need to advise clients on the best destinations for their needs by informing them of the weather, fun activities the destination offers, and more.

Once clients have chosen a specific destination, they need to collect payments, book travel arrangements, and handle any cancellations.

Banqueting organiser

Banqueting organisers are responsible for booking venues for client events.

Their duties involve meeting with potential and current clients to identify their needs for the event, monitoring and controlling provisional and confirmed function bookings, and more.

They also need to ensure that no double bookings are made and that function sheets remain up to date.

Tour guides, otherwise known as tour operators, are responsible for accompanying groups of tourists or holiday goers on tours to various locations.

They need to make sure that travel arrangements run smoothly from start to finish and provide information about the location and practical support throughout the tour.

Resort coordinator (activities)

Resort coordinators are responsible for carrying out all reasonable requests, projects, and events requested by members, guests, and resort managers.

They have to plan, organise, and oversee the successful completion of all the projects and events to ensure guests have the best experience.

Operations manager (food/accommodation)

Operations managers oversee accommodation, food and beverage, conference, and reception. Whether they specialise in food or accommodation, they need to take care of all aspects of their area of expertise.

For example, operation managers in the food industry will be responsible for the daily coordination, execution, and improvement of food manufacturing operations. They’ll need to oversee the planning, production, maintenance, and quality control.

Hotel concierge

Hotel concierges are responsible for ensuring that all guests feel welcome while maintaining company culture at all times.

They’re usually the first point of contact between guests and the company and have to handle guest inquiries and complaints, assist guests with travel arrangements, provide hotel information, and more.

Study a Higher Certificate in Tourism Management with MANCOSA

Interested in working in the tourism and hospitality industry? Tourism studies can take you a long way in developing the fundamental skills and knowledge you need to thrive in this growing industry.

Explore MANCOSA’s two tourism courses, including a Higher Certificate in Tourism Management and a Hospitality and Tourism Management Degree.

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