Tourism safety remains one of the core priorities of the Department of Tourism and of the National Tourism Safety Forum, which I have the privilege of chairing. We understand that tourism growth depends not only on marketing destinations but also on ensuring that visitors feel safe, welcome, and protected throughout their travel experience.
It is a privilege to join you here at the Africa’s Travel Indaba 2026 for the launch and showcasing of Tourism Transformation Fund Beneficiary Projects - projects that represent more than infrastructure or business investment. They represent hope, inclusion, ownership, and the practical transformation of South Africa’s tourism economy.
As South Africa, we remain fully committed to supporting regional initiatives that strengthen connectivity, unlock tourism growth, and deepen African integration. And as we gather during Africa Month, we are reminded that tourism is more than an industry. Tourism connects our people. Tourism strengthens regional understanding. Tourism builds economic bridges where political borders once divided us.