Gauteng, South Africa’s economic hub and gateway to Africa, is excited about its tourism prospects following increased air access to the province.
SAA will commence flights from Johannesburg to Perth, Australia, at the end of April.
The non-stop, three times a week flight departs from OR Tambo International Airport on April 28, and has seen a keen uptake of seats, particularly in economy class, according to the Gauteng Tourism Authority (GTA).
“We are really excited that this flight will recommence after a three-year hiatus. The route provides an easier and direct passage for both leisure and business travellers, and promotes trade and cultural exchange between South Africa and Australia,” said Sthembiso Dlamini, CEO of GTA.
This is the second transoceanic route to be reopened following the launch of the São Paulo, Brazil, route in October last year. The route provides an alternative itinerary for those travelling to South America with flights available from either Johannesburg or Cape Town with SAA.
“The new routes give Australian and South American travellers easier access to the rich tapestry of experiences that Gauteng offers – from its vibrant urban lifestyle to its stunning natural landscapes. The province is renowned for its unique blend of adventure, culture, and gastronomy,” Barba Gaoganediwe, Spokesperson and Head of Destination Marketing at GTA told Tourism Update.
He emphasised that a connected Gauteng boded well for a connected South Africa.
“The flights to and from Perth and São Paulo are huge contributors to growing tourism and the economy. We are also looking forward to rekindling a Johannesburg to New York route, so that we have major parts of the globe connected back into South Africa and Africa. This gives confidence to our recovery efforts.”
On a pathway to recovery
Gaoganediwe said Gauteng was well on its way to recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that it was almost at pre-pandemic levels in terms of its performance.
“We want to return to pre-COVID arrival numbers, because Gauteng’s contribution to South Africa’s GDP is enormous. We have already made tremendous progress in recovering the two million jobs that were lost in the province due to the pandemic.”
He added that the province had seen massive investments in the automotive sector, security in public services, and the calibration of its public transport sector.
“We are working hard to influence the product growth of South Africa’s economy and we believe, at the heart of it, tourism is critical to achieve this growth. Tourism is also highlighted at the top of the agenda of the National Development Plan.”
Gaoganediwe noted that investment in air access and targeted destination marketing initiatives in key source markets and in the people and infrastructure that drive tourism, were critical to Gauteng’s recovery.
“It should not be regarded as a cost, but rather as an investment that drives increased foreign direct spend and foreign currency into the economy.”
Leverage sports tourism
He added that the GTA was also aiming to utilise the province’s sporting teams, at both club and national level, with the teams and associations doing really well over the last few years.
“Australia, New Zealand and England are some of the top cricket and rugby nations in the world, and with South Africa being the Rugby World Cup champions, we think there is an important aspect of sports tourism that we need to leverage to bank on the increased connectivity that had been created.”
He believes sports tourism is a low-hanging fruit and an important historical aspect that the province needs to leverage better.
“With our sporting history, sports tourism is set to continue for many years. We are also looking to provide specific training and capacity-building programmes for our sports DMCs to increase our sports tourism offerings in the province.”
Gaoganediwe concluded that this year’s SA20 cricket tournament, which saw R4.4bn (€216.3m) invested into South Africa, was proof that sports events brought in a lot of money for the country’s economy.
