OVERVIEWTourismThe Big Four attract thousands of visitors.As the most significant contributor to South Africa’s economy,Johannesburg is unsurprisingly also home to many of thebiggest conference and exhibition centres.In describing the many conferencing venues available inthe city, the Joburg Tourism Company has a category called Big Four.In 2022, the Gauteng Provincial Government reported that itsupported events that generated R7-billion which helped to createmore than 17 000 opportunities to work.In his first State of the Province Address in February 2024, PremierPanyaza Lesufi noted the following tourism and hospitality highlightsin the previous year:• nearly 8-million international arrivals• which generated more than R98-billion• nine airline routes to Gauteng reintroduced in 2023GAUTENG’S BIG FOUR CONFERENCE VENUESVENUE LOCATION FEATURESandton Convention CentreJohannesburg Expo CentreSandton, “Africa’srichest square mile”Nasrec, next to the FNBStadium and on theedge of SowetoNear to 30 hotels with morethan 1 300 four- andfive-star rooms.Can accommodate up to20 000 people.Gallagher Convention Centre Midrand 27 venues on 32 hectares.Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit& International ConventionCentre, picturedKyalamiMultiple venues set within anFIA-rated GrandPrix circuit.SECTOR INSIGHTNine airline routes havebeen reintroduced.Growing Gauteng Together(GGT2030) is a plan of action formulatedby the Gauteng Provincial Governmentwhich intends to transform, moderniseand industrialise the provincialeconomy. The expansion of the tourismsector is seen as one of the key methodsof achieving those goals.Among the provincialgovernment’s plans are positioningthe Magaliesburg, Vaal River Cityand Suikersbosrand as destinationsof choice. The last-named site inparticular will be the subject ofa public-private partnership andaspects will be commercialised. Acampaign to encourage visitorswill be launched to be called“ VisitGauteng: Zwakala”.Meetings Africa 2024 was the18th holding of this business eventstrade show. The Sandton ConventionCentre was the venue for the event,hosted by South African Tourism.GAUTENG BUSINESS 202534PHOTOS: Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit
OVERVIEWHotelsThe Southern Sun brand has been revived. The announcementwas made in 2022 that Tsogo Sun Hotels would be no more. TheSouthern Sun group is focussed on hotels, with no casinos in its31-property Gauteng portfolio. These range from several SUN1facilities for budget travellers to the luxury of the 75-room 54 on Bathin Rosebank. Nearby Sandton has seven Southern Sun properties,including the Sandton Sun and Sandton Towers.The Maslow Time Square, Pretoria, which also has conferencefacilities, is one of two Sun International hotels linked to casinos. Thecomplex is pictured, below.Tsogo Sun, as distinct from the deactivated Tsogo Sun Hotels, hasinterests in casinos and gaming and runs seven hotels pairedwithcasinos in Gauteng. These include the Silverstar Hotel inside theSilverstar Casino and Entertainment Complex in Mogale City, WestRand, and there are four hotels at Montecasino.Airlink, which ended its franchise agreement after SAA went intobusiness rescue, has signed deals with Qatar Airways, Emirates andUnited Airlines, giving travellers easy access to a range of SouthernAfrican destinations and St Helena.Single-ticket arrangements and one-stop baggage check-ins willfacilitate easier travel in a difficult time. Airlink also has a service thatconnects travellers with certain game lodges. Airlink boasts an ontimeperformance consistently better than 95%.Culture and historyHeritage tourism is a strong component of the tourism offering inGauteng. The Cradle of Humankind is a UNESCO World HeritageONLINE RESOURCESCradle of Humankind: www.maropeng.co.zaGauteng Tourism Authority: www.gauteng.netJohannesburg Tourism Company: www.joburgtourism.comKyalami Grand Prix Circuit: www.kyalamigrandprixcircuit.comSite and attracts thousandsof visitors every year to theinteractive visitor’s centre atMaropeng. The SterkfonteinCaves have recently revealedastonishing finds, showingthe origins of humanitythrough artefacts such asthe 2.1-million-year-old skullknown as Mrs Ples.The Origins Centre at theUniversity of Witwatersrandprovides more fascinatinginsights into the origins ofmankind through art andscience. The Centre hostssuperb representations of Khoiand San rock art.History relating to thestruggle against apartheidcentres on attractions such as themoving exhibitions housed atthe Apartheid Museum and thehistory of the battle for humanrights and democracy embodiedin Constitution Hill which is aliving museum that tells the storyof South Africa’s journey to theachievement of democracy in1994. The site is a former prisonand military fort that graphicallyillustrates South Africa’s difficultpast but as the home to thecountry’s Constitutional Court, itis also a positive symbol of thebattle for the rights of all citizenswhich was won.Freedom Park on SalvoKop overlooking Pretoria alsocommemorates the strugglefor freedom in South Africabut its narrative starts in thepre-colonial era. Freedom Parkcombines an examinationof South Africa’s history withscenic beauty with superbviews over the capital city,interactive exhibits and areasset aside for reflection. ■PHOTO: Sun International35GAUTENG BUSINESS 2025
Loading...
Loading...