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The Johannesburg Tourism Company is proud to announce the development of the Joburg Tourism Master Plan, a strategic blueprint designed primarily to create a good balance between supply and demand for tourism for value creation of new opportunities. The initiative will ultimately give impetus to positioning the city as a competitive global tourism destination.
A critical component of the master plan is to elevate 12 niche tourism development areas, identified in the current Johannesburg Tourism Strategy, to drive economic impact through effected tourism multipliers and visitor diversification, namely: business tourism, heritage and culture tourism underpinned by township tourism, medical tourism, events and lifestyle tourism, mining tourism, rail and transport tourism, aviation tourism, tourism real estate, sports tourism, film tourism, shopping tourism and culinary tourism. The selected planning approach will enable the development of these niche focus areas to become new tourism sub-sectors with the primary intention to expand the tourism sector in Johannesburg to achieve further stimulation of economic growth.
Ms Nandipha Zonela, the Board Chairperson of Johannesburg Tourism Company asserts that, with a focus on structured tourism growth, investment attraction and enhanced visitor experiences, the master plan will guide tourism development, marketing and sustainability efforts over the next five (5) to ten (10) years.
“Through the plan, the entity seeks to elevate Johannesburg’s positioning as a business and lifestyle destination by expanding tourism offerings, improving infrastructure and fostering innovation. As the city’s visitor arrivals continue on an upward trajectory, this initiative aims to surpass the 3.8 million visitors recorded in 2023 calendar year, by implementing a systematic framework to growth and competitiveness,” adds Zonela.
The plan will strengthen Johannesburg’s appeal as a tourism hub, increase visitor numbers, diversify tourism offerings, foster innovation and competitiveness, ensure sustainability in tourism planning and investment, as well as advancing stakeholder engagement and customer service.
“The Tourism Master Plan is an essential roadmap for transforming Joburg’s tourism landscape. It provides guidelines for the institutional framework needed to drive sector development, create employment opportunities and expand the tourism value chain – particularly in township tourism,” says Thandubuhle Mgudlwa, Johannesburg Tourism Company Chief Executive Officer. “Tourism is a key economic driver and we need a coordinated effort to achieve its maximum potential.”
The Tourism Master Plan will be developed and implemented in four phases. Mgudlwa explains that the situational analysis phase has commenced, which assesses the current tourism landscape, tourism potential, tourism environment, policies and market trends.
The tourism development framework is the second phase which will be guided by the vision for tourism in the city, identify priority areas for extensive tourism development with an intention to diversify our offering base and achieve differentiation. This will include products, linkages, human capacity, supporting infrastructure and appropriate institutional arrangements, identification and packaging of opportunities within the 12 niche development areas as well as spatial mapping of investment areas.
A comprehensive marketing plan, the third phase, will strengthen Joburg’s tourism brand and promotional strategy. Finally, the implementation plan will focus on executing high-impact projects to catalyse demand, strategic partnerships and monitoring progress. The development process is expected to take between 6 to 12 months, followed by a phased rollout over the short-term (3 years), medium-term (5 years) and long-term (10 years), ensuring prioritisation based on impact and feasibility.”
Recognising that tourism is government-led, private sector-driven and community-based, the master plan will involve extensive collaboration with key stakeholders, including the City of Johannesburg and its economic development entities, tourism industry players, service providers, private sector investors, organised business, community representatives, as well as national and provincial tourism bodies.
A multi-disciplinary stakeholder Project Steering Committee inclusive will oversee the development and implementation of the master plan, ensuring alignment with the strategic priorities of the City of Johannesburg and addressing challenges as they arise. To facilitate inclusivity, extensive consultations will be conducted through focus group research, public participation sessions, industry organised business and private sector engagements.
The success of the master plan will be tracked through a robust monitoring and evaluation framework, measuring key performance indicators such as visitor numbers, economic contribution, job creation and investment levels. Additionally, the plan is aligned with the National Tourism Sector Strategy, Gauteng Tourism Sector Strategy, Johannesburg Tourism Strategy, Johannesburg Growth and Development Strategy 2040 and Johannesburg’s Spatial Development Framework 2040 and other related strategic plans to ensure alignment of broader objectives and goals through integrated development planning.
“This is a pivotal moment for Joburg’s tourism industry,” adds Mgudlwa. “The Tourism Master Plan provides a clear vision for growth, innovation and inclusivity, ensuring that tourism becomes a significant contributor to economic development.”
For more information on the Joburg Tourism Master Plan and how to participate in its development, please visit the JTC website visit.joburg or contact the Joburg Tourism Company at 011 779 0200.
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