Ramaphosa's first 2025 newsletter: 'Tourism sector vital to create employment'
President Ramaphosa says the tourism sector in South Africa employs about 1.5 million people both directly and indirectly.
President Cyril Ramaphosa promulgated the full implementation of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act on 20 December 2024. Picture: Supplied
CAPE TOWN - President Cyril Ramaphosa says the country's tourism sector has the potential to grow as government is scaling up strategies to restore the local tourism to pre-pandemic levels.
Ramaphosa has written in his first newsletter of the year where he says government, business and communities should work together to make tourism a key driver for economic growth.
President Ramaphosa says the tourism sector in South Africa employs about 1.5 million people both directly and indirectly.
He says the government of national unity has also identified the growth of tourism as a "vital part of creating employment".
On scaling up tourism promotion, Ramaphosa says their strategies include an "improved tourism visa regime, streamlining the tour operator license process, increased investment in tourism infrastructure and services, and improving safety and security at tourism sites".
The president says through the presidential employment stimulus they will continue to support job creation by providing work opportunities for young people as tourism monitors in different provinces and supporting tourism-related SMMEs [Small, Medium-Sized and Microenterprises].
Ramaphosa says this year will see South Africa hosting the first ever g20 summit on african soil and the country will use this opportunity to "profile and actively promote South Africa as a tourism destination of choice".