1 September 2026
September is Tourism Month, with the UN-recognised World Tourism Day on the 27th September 2026. The City of Tshwane has officially marked the beginning Tourism Month 2026 by reaffirming its commitment to growing tourism and to showcasing the many experiences and events that make Tshwane a destination worth discovering.
This year's Tourism Month is celebrated under the theme ‘Growing South Africa's Tourism Sector in the Digital Era; and is aligned with the international World Tourism Day focus on the role of the digital agenda and artificial intelligence in redesigning tourism.
“Tourism is more than just leisure and travel. The tourism sector creates opportunities for entrepreneurs, supports businesses, promotes our heritage and natural assets, and creates jobs in our communities,” said Councillor Sarah Mabotsa, the Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) responsible for Economic Development agnd Spatial Planning. “Tshwane has so much to offer! We are using our Discover Tshwane digital platform to share information on the capital city’s diverse tourism offerings, from our rich heritage and iconic landmarks to our nature reserves, cultural experiences, attractions, adventure experiences and exciting events.”
The programme for September includes a jam-packed calendar of public events and leisure activities for residents and visitors to discover the capital city’s tourism and heritage offerings. These include:
- The Sasol New Signatures Art Competition from 4 September to 2 November 2026,
- The Africa Aerospace & Defence Expo from the 16th to the 20th September 2026, and
- A webinar on the 30th September 2026 that will explore the future of tourism in the digital era.
Tshwane is inviting South Africans to come and explore our amazing capital city and experience more of what it has to offer. The Tourism Month programme will also serve as an important springboard to the peak Spring and Summer travel seasons.
Mabotsa said the City is particularly encouraged by the opportunities presented by digital technology to transform how destinations market themselves and how visitors discover and experience tourism products. “In an increasingly digital world, destinations, travellers search, plan, share and experience their journeys on digital platforms. These new and emerging technologies give us new opportunities to tell the Tshwane story, to connect our tourism businesses with markets and to make it easier for visitors to discover more of what our city has to offer,” she said.
The MMC called on residents to become active ambassadors for their city and encouraged visitors to explore Tshwane beyond its well-known landmarks. “We invite everyone to come and discover Tshwane. Visit the Dinokeng Game Reserve or any of our many nature reserves. Celebrate Heritage Month in our museums and art galleries. Support a local tourism business and enjoy the urban vibes of our townships. Attend an event. Go shopping in a market. Enjoy sporting events. Hike in our nature reserves and trails and take advantage of the opportunities available to you.”
Tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors of the South African economy. The number of international visitors to South Africa increased by 17.6% in 2025 compared to 2024. To align with this growth, the City of Tshwane in March 2026 approved a new tourism strategy and masterplan to support the growth of the capital city’s tourism sector. “The Tshwane Tourism Strategy and Masterplan aims to increase domestic tourism numbers from 2,6 million to 3,2 million visitors per year and international visitors from 800,000 to 1,2 million per year by 2030. These increased visitor numbers will add almost R10 billion in additional annual spending to the Tshwane economy and support more than 100,000 new direct and indirect tourism jobs” said Mabotsa. “Our plan for toruism growth includes diversifying and enhancing experiences and offerings so that the benefits of tourism spread from the traditional centres out to our rural and township areas of the metro.”
“Tshwane has a lot to offer visitors. We want to bring Tshwane to the world, and the world to Tshwane” said Mabotsa. In April 2025, Tshwane’s multi-party coalition government adopted the Tshwane Economic Revitalization Strategy, which is the City’s roadmap to accelerating economic growth and job creation in the Capital City. Tourism is one of the 11 priority economic sectors ear-marked for support to achieve this accelerated growth.
Media enquiries:
Ndaedzo Nethonzhe (NdaedzoN@tshwane.gov.za) - 063 299 6862