Limpopo named Tourism Month focus as Waterberg prepares to host World Tourism Day
The national celebration moves to Legend Golf & Safari Resort on Sunday under a digital-era theme, with the department saying it will showcase Limpopo beyond South Africa's traditional tourism hotspots.
South Africa’s World Tourism Day celebration will be held in Limpopo on Sunday, at the Legend Golf & Safari Resort in the Waterberg District.
The Department of Tourism and the Limpopo Provincial Government are hosting the event together with tourism sector partners, under the theme “Growing South Africa’s Tourism Sector in the Digital Era.” The department said in an advisory on Wednesday that the theme will highlight the role of digital technologies and artificial intelligence in reshaping tourism through improved visitor experiences, smarter destination management, greater operational efficiency, and more sustainable and inclusive tourism practices.
According to the department, hosting the celebration in the Waterberg will showcase Limpopo’s tourism products and destinations beyond the country’s traditional tourism hotspots. The formal programme will include government and tourism sector leaders, local artists and cultural groups, a digital tourism activation in line with the theme, and a Sustainability Village.
World Tourism Day forms part of Tourism Month, which the department describes as a drive to encourage South Africans to explore the country’s tourism offerings and support local tourism businesses.
Limpopo’s place at the centre of this year’s programme was set out in August, when Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille spoke at the launch of Tourism Month. She said Limpopo is the department’s province of focus.
“If we want South Africans to travel more, and if we want visitors to our country to keep coming, we must constantly give them new reasons to travel, and that includes new experiences, new places to discover and more opportunities to explore the diversity of South Africa,” De Lille said at the time. “And today, I am delighted to announce a province that represents precisely that opportunity. Limpopo will be our province of focus for Tourism Month 2026.”
The advisory does not state expected attendance figures, the cost of the event, or which national, provincial or municipal officeholders will attend on Sunday.
Source: SAnews (South African Government News Agency), Limpopo to host World Tourism Day celebrations, https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/limpopo-host-world-tourism-day-celebrations
