23/09/2026
Community-based tourism needs to play a more crucial role.
By developing accessible, affordable and authentic experiences within local communities, we can create opportunities for small businesses, local guides, entrepreneurs, creatives, food producers, cultural practitioners and community organisations to become part of the tourism value chain.
Community tourism is about more than showcasing a destination. It is about creating economic participation, keeping tourism spend local and ensuring that the benefits of tourism reach the people and communities who make our destinations unique.
For us, the opportunity is clear: make travel more accessible, develop experiences that connect visitors with local communities, and build a tourism economy that creates opportunity from the ground up.
Tourism works best when communities are not just visited — they are involved, valued and empowered.
South Africa rediscovered: One screen scroll at a time Writer: Phathu Luvhengo, Department of Tourism | Photo: Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille wants South Africans exploring their own backyard this September, and she is betting AI and social media will get them there.That is how Tourism Minister....
