South African Tourism (SA Tourism) has announced its performance at the end of December 2024 was at an all-time high of 92% with 72% of its budget already spent.

CEO of SA Tourism Nombulelo Guliwe said this demonstrates the organisation’s commitment to budget optimisation.

“SA Tourism is actively promoting South Africa in key markets with resolute teams driving campaigns domestically and internationally. The process of appointing a global marketing agency in compliance with National Treasury regulations is ongoing.

“SA Tourism is committed to upholding the integrity of all procurement processes. An independent forensic investigation into a strategic events tender was initiated in December 2024 and is currently underway.”

Her comments come in the wake of media reports questioning the legitimacy of tenders awarded for Meetings Africa as well as the entity’s marketing spend. The articles said these issues raised questions about the competency of the current leadership under Guliwe.

SA Tourism has strongly refuted these allegations – in a short statement issued on December 16 and again following a second article, written by the same journalist, alleging the organisation may have to return a large chunk of its marketing budget as it has underspent on marketing.

“As previously corrected in the statement issued on December 16, no bidder has been awarded a R100 million (€5.1m) event management tender,” said Guliwe.

“The current SA Tourism management and leadership team is committed to interrogating costs. As such, even inaccurate information about a non-existent 80% surplus will not coerce us into spending recklessly.”

According to Guliwe, SA Tourism actively promotes South Africa in key markets with resolute teams driving domestically and internationally campaigns.

“SA Tourism is committed to upholding the integrity of all procurement processes. An independent forensic investigation into a strategic events tender was initiated in December 2024 and is currently underway.”

Guliwe said SA Tourism’s goal is building confidence in South Africa as an attractive global destination. “We remain focused on driving sustainable growth in the sector and we are unwavering in our commitment to showcasing our country’s unparalleled beauty, including our rich cultural and natural heritage, to the world while driving inclusive economic growth and contributing to the reduction of unemployment.”

‘Strong recovery’

The country’s tourism sector continues to show strong recovery and growth. Between January and October 2024, South Africa welcomed 7.2 million visitors – a 5.7% increase compared to last year.

Guliwe pointed out that early indicators from the recent festive season suggest strong sector performance, with high occupancy rates and strong participation in events across the country.

In the business events space, SA Tourism has, to date, secured 53 bids for international events in the 2024/25 financial year.

These events are expected to generate R616 million (€31.6m) for the economy and attract over 24 000 delegates between 2024 and 2029, further cementing South Africa’s position as a premier destination for global conferences and events.

Governance and leadership updates

Guliwe emphasised that SA Tourism remains “steadfast” in its commitment to good governance and ethical practices. Filling critical vacant positions within the organisation is ongoing.

The newly appointed Chief Operations Officer, Darryl Erasmus, assumed office on January 7. The recruitment process for Chief Financial Officer and Chief Internal Auditor is underway.