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Gauteng has a new tourism chief executive

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Ms Dlamini previously served as the acting chief executive officer of South African Tourism and was confirmed by Gauteng MEC for Economic Development, Environment, Agriculture and Rural Development Parks Tau as the new GTA chief executive following an extensive recruitment process which involved the GTA Board, the MEC and the Gauteng Provincial Executive Council (EXCO). She is expected to officially assume her responsibilities from Monday, 6 December 2021.

Sthembiso brings in a wealth of experience and strategic management capabilities having formerly presided over South African Tourism as its acting CEO and substantially its chief operations officer for the past seven years. During her tenure at the SA Tourism, she championed the agency’s organisational redesign process, the infusion of heightened marketing intelligence in driving tourism marketing programmes and further worked tirelessly in the development and adoption of the tourism recovery plan, a multi-stakeholder driven blueprint for tourism recovery and sustainability following the devastating impact of Covid-19 on the sector.

In confirming her appointment, GTA Board of Directors chairperson Judi Nwokedi urged the new CEO to continue working hard in consolidating the city region’s standing as Africa’s leading business and leisure destination with breathtaking and countless township tourism offerings, world-class museums housing our rich political and cultural heritage and the birthplace of humankind. Her task is now made harder by the unjustified travel bans imposed by many country especially from our key source markets on South Africa. Destination Gauteng plays a crucial role as the lead point of entry and the start of a memorable bleisure tourism experience.

Dlamini takes over from Yoland Kona who resigned in September 2020 and acting CEO Barba Gaoganediwe who has been at the helm since October 2020 to date. As the GTA Board we would like to thank Gaoganediwe and his management collective for steering the ship especially having to navigate through a difficult period of Covid-19 pandemic which has capitulated the sector resulting in massive job losses and low tourism revenues.

We are proud that, during his acting tenure the GTA received its seventh consecutive clean-audit, a feat we believe the new CEO will continue on.

Tourism in Gauteng continues to contribute around 4% to the total provincial workforce and its estimated 4% contribution to the Gross Domestic Product by Region and 9% overall nationally highlights the sector’s importance to the economy of Gauteng and the country. In hard numbers we are talking in excess of over 200,000 people employed by the sector, contributing in the region of R30bn per annum to the provincial economy.

Dlamini is expected to hit the ground running as the golden city region of Gauteng is seized with its #Jab4tourism drive to encourage high number of vaccination amongst the frontline tourism staff in restaurants, museums, hotels and other tourism amenities in the build-up to the festive summer period and the forth wave of Covid infections.

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Dlamini takes the helm at GTA

The Gauteng Tourism Authority (GTA) has appointed Sthembiso Dlamini as CEO. Having served as COO of South African Tourism (SAT) for seven years and more recently Acting CEO, Dlamini has extensive experience in strategic management.

Her appointment as GTA CEO was confirmed by Gauteng MEC for Economic Development, Environment, Agriculture and Rural Development, Parks Tau , following an extensive recruitment process which involved the GTA Board, the MEC and the Gauteng Provincial Executive Council.

During her time with SAT, Dlamini worked in the development and adoption of the Tourism Recovery Plan, a multi-stakeholder-driven plan for tourism recovery and sustainability following the impact of COVID-19 on the sector.

In confirming her appointment, GTA Board of Directors Chairperson Judi Nwokedi has urged the new CEO to continue working hard in consolidating the city region’s standing as Africa’s leading business and leisure destination.

Dlamini takes over from Yoland Kona who resigned in September 2020 and acting CEO Barba Gaoganediwe who was Acting CEO from October 2020.

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Gauteng Tourism Authority

Website https://www.gauteng.net/ Email [email protected] Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ilovegauteng Twitter https://twitter.com/visitgauteng Postal Address PO Box 155, NEWTOWN, 2113 Street Address 124 Main Street , cnr Marshall and Kruis Street, JOHANNESRBURG Phone 011 085 2500 Directories Regional Tourism Authorities

Chief Executive Officer: Sthembiso Dlamini, Ms

• PO Box 155, NEWTOWN, 2113
• 011 085 2500

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Sthembiso dlamini: gauteng gets a new tourism chief executive officer.

Sthembiso Dlamini was previously known to South Africans as the acting chief executive officer at South African Tourism but has started her new responsibilities as the Gauteng Tourism Authority’s (GTA) chief executive officer this week. One thing that is extremely exciting about having Dlamini onboard is she’ll be hitting the ground running with a drive entitled; #Jab4tourism. 

According to Bizcommunity , #Jab4tourism is a drive to encourage a high number of vaccinations amongst the frontline tourism staff in restaurants, museums, hotels and other tourism amenities in the build-up to the festive season.

Gauteng is in safe hands

Dlamini has an abundance of experience in the sector, as she held her previous role for seven years. Her many years of work has moulded her understanding of what to do and how to do it to the best of her ability.

The CEO is especially skilled in creating strategies aimed at improving the sector, as seen in her leading role in the organisational redesign process which pushed a number of marketing programmes. This helped the sector to recover from an unprecedented pandemic.

SA Tourism released a statement on 7 October announcing Dlamini’s resignation.

“Sthembiso served the organization with distinction for over seven years and her departure is a huge loss to us,” commented SA Tourism Interim Board Chairperson, Advocate Mojankunyane Gumbi.

“As we move towards the recovery of the sector, Sthembiso was pivotal in efforts to lead the organization and the sector on this crucial path. It is comforting to note that we have not lost her talents to the industry as she joins our sister organisation. The Board and the entire SA Tourism family congratulates her on her move and wish her well in her new career path,” added Advocate Gumbi.

A brighter future for Gauteng

Dlamini takes over from Yoland Kona, who resigned in September 2020, and promises to do the very best to ensure growth in the sector and help it recover further from COVID-19. It may not be an easy ride all of the time but things are looking bright.

Also Read: Western Cape town achieves ‘population safety’ welcoming festive season visitors

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Gauteng a globally competitive force in tourism

G G auteng might be South Africa’s smallest province, with just a total area of over 18,000 square kilometres, but its economy packs the biggest punch.

The Gauteng province showed its mettle at the South African Pavilion’s Provincial Showcase on Tuesday, 21 December, held at the Expo 2020 Dubai. The showcase promotes the business and leisure tourism opportunities that exist in each of the nine provinces. The pavilion’s theme “Think South Africa, Think Opportunity, ” calls on investors from around the world to consider South Africa a lucrative business destination.

Speaking during the showcase, newly appointed CEO of the Gauteng Tourism Authority, Sthembiso Dlamini, said the province is positioning itself as a globally competitive force in tourism. Gauteng contributes 33% of the South Africa’s GDP and is the seventh biggest economy in Africa. Some 54% of South Africa’s exports originate from the province. Its tourism generates R35-billion, which is three percent of the province’s GDP. 

Its first-world infrastructure and economic clout has regularly hosted large-scale international cultural and sporting events. It has also forged strong partnerships with neighbouring provinces, as well as countries in West Africa. Dlamini considers the province that takes you to the rest of the continent.

But what makes Gauteng stand out from the rest, she said, is that it is where humankind began. “It all starts here. Our common human ancestry is here in Gauteng. That is appealing enough for one to say they want to come to Gauteng. It is breath-taking and humbling to get into a province where you can understand your DNA as a human being.”

The Cradle of Humankind is home to the largest amount of hominin fossils in the world, some of which are as old as 3.5-million years. But besides the so-called paleo-tourism, Gauteng is a hub of fashion, food, sports, pop culture, media, and commerce – three-quarters of corporates in South Africa call Gauteng home and – making it a bucket-list destination for both leisure and business tourists. It also has 134 diplomatic missions, with Pretoria being the second biggest diplomatic city in the world behind Washington DC.

Gauteng tourism on the mend after Covid-19

Dlamini said that tourism in Gauteng is on a recovery path after the debilitating effects of Covid-19. “We need to rejuvenate to ensure we still do business. We are assessing what quality means for Gauteng. You want to have that unique proposal and unique visitor experience. So word of mouth is important to us.”

Some of the key elements that will aid in recovery include:

• Maintaining quality health and safety protocols to ensure tourist confidence when travelling through Gauteng.
• Enhancing mobility and transport networks so that people can move around easily.
• Creating an enabling environment to increase tourist capacity and tourism growth.
• Taking advantage of the already world-class infrastructure to revive the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions industry and attract big international events.

Gauteng tourism has the ability to adapt

The Gauteng Tourism Authority Chief Marketing Officer, Barba Gaoganediwe, said that the Covid-19 pandemic has actually provided the province an opportunity to adapt to a new situation, particularly around medical tourism. “This has been a challenging 18 months, but what drives us is the belief that to adapt to different situations. Covid-19 has given us the opportunity has propelled us to offer medical tourism to visitors.”

Gaoganediwe said that the modern traveller is no longer looking for escapism but for meaningful experiences. “We need to repackage the province in terms of the hidden gems we have such as the Cullinan Diamond Mine and our paleo tours.”

He added that Gauteng offers these travellers an African experience with first world infrastructure, making it good value for money. “We will not tire in engaging with our partners to gain a competitive edge. Gauteng remains a value for money destination.”

The Provincial Showcase makes its way to the Western Cape on Wednesday, 22 December, showcasing the rolling vineyards, coastal gems and the Mother City. To catch this event, register on the pavilion’s online portal .

Keep up with the South African Pavilion Team on Twitter using the handle TeamSA_Expo2020. Follow the events at the pavilion using #ThinkOpportunity #Expo2020SA #ShareSouthAfrica.

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Gauteng Tourism Authority announces new CEO

• Story By: Kojo Bentum Williams

• Published: 3:42 PM UTC, Thu May 9, 2019

The Gauteng Tourism Authority (GTA) has appointed Yoland Ruiters as its new CEO, effective May 1, following an extensive recruitment process.

Ruiters holds a Master of Management degree from the Wits School of Governance, as well as numerous executive leadership development qualifications, and was seconded to the GTA the previous year following the end of contract of the previous CEO.

Nomusa Mufamadi, the Chairperson of the GTA’s Board of Directors, explains: “During her acting tenure at GTA, Ruiters’ work focused on the development of a high-performance-driven organisational culture and systems, with a special emphasis on sound governance and administration. She also presided over the development of an integrated stakeholder management strategy and the re-engineering of the agency’s business processes and value proposition. Without a doubt, this work helped in shaping her insights into the management and promotion of sound relations between government agencies and its shareholder, a prerequisite for sound governance and heightened delivery for the task at hand.”

Accepting her new appointment, Ruiters emphasised and promised to elevate the mantra that tourism is private-sector led, government supported, community based and labour intensive. “Township tourism products, beneficiation and promotion, the drive to get locals and government decision-makers across the different spheres to appreciate the value of tourism, leveraging business tourism opportunities, the bidding and hosting of mega events in Gauteng, bringing new innovations, especially around the opportunities associated with the Fourth Industrial Revolution in our destination marketing work, coupled with partnership-driven destination management activities, will be our key focus areas, working together with the tourism industry players in the province,” says Ruiters.

According to Gauteng Tourism, tourism continues to employ approximately 4% of the total provincial workforce and contributes 3% to the province’s GDP by region. More than 300 000 people are employed by the sector in Gauteng, contributing round €3bn per annum to the provincial economy.

Source: Tourismupdate.co.za

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Gauteng, South Africa: From the cities to the mountains

Gauteng is a wealthy province packing a lot into a relatively small geographic area. From the cities of Pretoria and Johannesburg to the craggy ranges of the Magaliesberg, the region offers a multitude of cultural and outdoor attractions.

INTRODUCTION

Pretoria is one of South Africa’s three capital cities; a genteel metropolis of colonial architecture and Jacaranda-lined avenues. It’s here you’ll find the sprawling buildings of the South African government, and the towering granite Voortrekker Monument.

Johannesburg is a dynamic city experiencing something of a renaissance after decades of economic decline. The district of Maboneng was named one of the world’s coolest neighbourhoods by Forbes magazine in 2018. The city also boasts world-class museums, such as Nelson Mandela’s House and the Apartheid Museum, which delves deep into South Africa’s turbulent past.

Outside its urban areas, the province has a lot to offer. The Magaliesberg is a mountain range renowned for its hot air ballooning and skydiving opportunities. Meanwhile, the Cradle of Humankind is one of South Africa’s eight World Heritage Sites – a rolling grassland where the earliest ancestors of modern humans were discovered.

Gauteng is a destination of choice for those who want both the city and the great outdoors at their fingertips.

THE BUSINESS END

Gauteng Province is the economic epicentre of South Africa, contributing over a third of the country’s GDP. Its name in Sotho-Tswana even means “place of gold.” This is because gold was discovered in the region in 1866, leading it to become the single largest gold producer in the world.

But it hasn’t all been plain sailing. South Africa is still recovering from the effects of the global economic downturn in 2008. While the GDP is growing year on year, they are still exploring new avenues of growth. One of these is tourism.

As the President Cyril Ramaphosa stated in 2018, “there is no reason why [the tourism sector] can’t double in size. We have the most beautiful country in the world and the most hospitable people.” Tourists seem to agree. Gauteng is the most visited province in South Africa, and Johannesburg is the most frequented city on the African continent.

The South African government aims to increase its tourist arrival targets under their 5-in-5 campaign, which aims to attract five million more tourists to South Africa over the next five years. Out of these arrivals, the share allocated to Gauteng is 1.4 million – the government believes this is an achievable goal.

Q&A WITH GAUTENG TOURISM AUTHORITY

The Gauteng Tourism Authority began in 1996 as an agency of the provincial government. From 2009 its goal has been to become the primary driver of sustainable tourism in the country. It aims to use tourism as a catalyst for development, transforming historically disadvantaged areas into places of positivity for tourists to visit.

We sat down with Yoland Kona, the Gauteng Tourism Association’s CEO, and spoke to him about how the association is putting the province on the map.

Since inception, how has the Gauteng Tourism Authority developed and progressed in terms of its key objectives and the messages it tries to get across?

Yoland Kona (YK):  The Gauteng Province is not a traditional tourist destination. However, the agency has become the key driver of our national heritage, promoting it to visitors. The agency has raised awareness of Gauteng’s political sites and historical landmarks. We have seen neighbourhoods like Maboneng transformed as part of the inner-city revitalisation project in Johannesburg. It has now become one of the world’s coolest destinations, according to Forbes magazine. This shows how revitalisation projects can help benefit tourism.

How would you say Gauteng has developed in recent years as a business travel hub, and what are the key reasons behind its growing appeal?

YK:   Johannesburg is a city that has been built by the toil of immigrants, like many other global cities. So a business-making culture has been part of our DNA since inception. Johannesburg grew up around mining, with many people from around the world setting up global mining offices – this is how business travel began in the city. They needed conference facilities and other infrastructure. This is where we draw our inspiration to become a business destination.

After the 2010 FIFA World Cup was held in Johannesburg, we were able to increase our inventory of conferencing and events facilities. Africa’s only high-speed train is available in Gauteng, surrounded by a plethora of hotels, all within walking distance.

Why, in your opinion, should someone visit Gauteng?

YK:  International tourism helps the city emerge from the shadow of its own past. Direct investment and travel into the country allows it to move forward. But it’s also the fact that South Africa is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. In Gauteng we have the mountains, but most of all we have the people. They are warm, interactive and able to embrace everyone. This country is the cradle of all human origins, and everyone should visit their ancestral home at least once in their lives.

Are there any specific attractions, landmarks or places to eat and drink that you would recommend?

YK:  Gauteng is the only place in the world which had two Nobel Laureates living on the same street: Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela. Visit Vilakazi Street in Soweto Township to explore the homes of both laureates. Gauteng Province is a great space for outdoor activities, especially skydiving or hot air ballooning over the Magaliesberg Mountains. There are lots of attractions within a small geographic space, from cities to safari parks.

What are the best ways of getting around the region?

YK:  Johannesburg is one of the most well-connected African cities, with a rail network connecting each of its five main areas. It also allows you to connect to other parts of the country. Johannesburg airport also has a lot of international connections. Our intercity bus system has also expanded to include a lot of destinations in South Africa.

What trends are transforming the tourism industry in Gauteng at present? How are you responding to these trends?

YK:  We are very much aware of the trends transforming the industry, such as building data platforms with multiscreen capabilities – something we are aiming to do. We are ensuring our website is multifunctional, for both businesses and consumers. User-generated platforms are key in facilitating the growth of tourism, and we are responding to this.

We are also interested in using more geo-tech. We want tourists to visit locations and be able to pull up the history of landmarks on their phones, thereby moving beyond the confines of a tour guide.

Are you optimistic about the future of the tourism industry in Gauteng?

YK:  We are optimistic about tourism here. We believe the country is emerging from the shackles of its past history. Sometimes we underestimate the effect colonisation has had on our history, and on the potential of our country. But with the future beckoning, we have the opportunity to improve tourism and make a greater contribution to the country’s economy.

IN FOCUS : JOHANNESBURG

Johannesburg is a city experiencing a renaissance. Once blighted by apartheid and the economic downturn, it is reviving its most deprived neighbourhoods, with spectacular results. Maboneng, which means ‘Place of Light’, has transformed into Johannesburg’s hippest district, with sculpture gardens, art collectives, and one-of-a-kind shops, restaurants and bars.

Something else putting Johannesburg on the map is its sheer amount of historical attractions. Head to Vilikazi Street, in the heart of Soweto Township, where you’ll find the former houses of Nobel Laureates Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela. It’s possible to take a tour of the former.

Constitution Hill is a former prison complex and military fort, now a living museum. Numerous notable figures were held inside its walls: Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi and Fatima Meer. Explore the Old Fort and the notorious Number Four, a jail for non-white prisoners.

On a lighter note, Johannesburg also offers plenty for the discerning business traveller in terms of conference venues and luxury hotels. It’s also a fantastic place to try cuisine from all around Africa, be it a Mozambican piri-piri stall or a Somali café. There’s also an abundance of South African braai (slow-cooked barbecue) restaurants.

Johannesburg has a laidback, unstuffy atmosphere and welcomes visitors with open arms. You’ll love delving into the city’s neighbourhoods and checking out the local attractions.

TRANSPORT LINKS

The province of Gauteng is accessible by air, via Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo Airport. It’s African’s busiest airport, handling over 21 million passengers in 2017, and offers direct flights to Europe, Asia and other parts of Africa. It also serves as the hub for South African airways.

It’s easy to travel both within and between Johannesburg and Pretoria. Johannesburg has been improving its transport infrastructure, beginning with the installation of the Rea Vaya bus network linking the city centre to the suburbs.  Minibus taxis and tuk tuks are also available.

The Gautrain is an intercity rail service offering a 15-minute link to O.R. Tambo Airport from Sandton Station. It also services the city of Pretoria. The BRT bus system also links Johannesburg with Pretoria.

Some tourist attractions, such as the Cradle of Humankind, are not well-serviced by public transport. They can be reached via private taxi or self-drive car rental. The province has a good road system, which it continues to improve and expand upon.

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Ghana and South Africa strengthen tourism relationship

The recent announcement of a visa waiver agreement between Ghana and South Africa, has brought into sharp focus the prospects of a mutually beneficial tourism promotion between the two countries.

Both Ghana and South Africa, have in the recent past focussed on aggressive destination marketing.

In August 2022, the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) signed a revolutionary Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Gauteng Tourism Authority of South Africa.

The MoU seeks to facilitate and strengthen trade, tourism and investment relations between Ghana and its South African counterparts.

With Tourism being a high source of revenue for both countries, the tourism authorities must build on it to cooperate, exchange knowledge and leverage on their learnings to maximize their tourism potentials.

The agreement, highlights areas of cooperation in various sections of tourism development, including joint destination marketing, leveraging MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions) markets and exchange of best practices in professional event coordination and support of SMMEs.

The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) CEO, Akwasi Agyeman together with Gauteng Tourism CEO, Sthembiso Dlamini, signed this agreement, charting a new course for the nations’ tourism sector.

In 2019 alone, Ghana recorded over 18,381 South Africans visiting the country, an impressive number which keeps growing annually.

“Ghana is fast becoming the vacation destination for the world, most especially in December. With the record numbers trooping into the country, it is important to share knowledge with the continent and gain some more insights on how to manage the influx of tourists into Ghana. We are optimistic this agreement will go a long way to Africa and not only Ghana on the global map as the preferred destination travel. Along with the high number of tourists also comes numerous jobs for our nationals and, this is the way to go,” Akwasi Agyeman said.

Ghana and South Africa continually sign agreements and put in place policies to facilitate easy of traveling and doing business with each other. The visa waiver agreement allows citizens of both countries to travel visa-free for a cumulative period of up to 90 days without recourse to work.

This agreement will take effect from November 1, 2023.

This was made known by Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration in a post made on the social networking platform, X, where it said both countries have entered into an “agreement on a visa waiver regime for holders of ordinary passports.”

“Travellers may transit through, depart from and stay in the territory of both countries for a cumulative period of up to 90 days without recourse to work.”

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