The Tshwane Council has approved the Tshwane Tourism Strategy and Masterplan, setting a clear path to grow tourism and create more than 100 000 jobs by 2030.

MMC for Economic Development and Spatial Planning, Sarah Mabotsa, said the strategy aims to increase domestic visitors from 2.6 million to 3.2 million per year, and international visitors from 800 000 to 1.2 million.

This growth is expected to add nearly R10-billion in annual spending to the local economy.

“The Tshwane Tourism Strategy and Masterplan sets out a clear and measurable plan to grow tourism, expand our visitor base, and unlock meaningful economic opportunities for our residents,” she said.

The plan focuses on several key priorities, including expanding and diversifying tourism offerings, strengthening marketing and positioning of Tshwane as a tourism brand, and building stronger partnerships across the tourism sector.

“We are deliberately repositioning Tshwane as a competitive tourism destination, both locally and globally, while ensuring that the benefits of tourism extend beyond traditional centres into township and rural economies,” said Mabotsa.

She said the city has already established the Tshwane Tourism Forum to improve co-ordination between public and private stakeholders.

The strategy places strong emphasis on township economies, with a proposed tourism node from Wonderboom Airport to Hammanskraal expected to unlock opportunities in regions 1 and 2.

She said the plan also promotes niche tourism in culture, heritage, lifestyle, events, and outdoor experiences.

“Tourism must work for all our communities. This strategy prioritises inclusive growth by supporting township enterprises, unlocking new tourism nodes, and creating space for small businesses to participate meaningfully in the sector,” said Mabotsa.

Mabotsa emphasised that tourism remains one of South Africa’s fastest growing and most labour-intensive sectors and is seen as a key driver of entrepreneurship and job creation.

She explained that the strategy aligns with the city’s Tshwane Economic Revitalisation Strategy, which identifies tourism, including the business-oriented sector focusing on Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions [MICE], as a priority for growth.

“We are building a diversified tourism economy, with a strong focus on the MICE sector, to attract investment, grow visitor numbers, and drive sustained job creation,” said Mabotsa.

Tshwane continues to attract major events, with the Gastronomy Africa conference and expo set to take place in the city on August 3–4, bringing together industry leaders from across the continent.

“By securing events such as Gastronomy Africa, we are strengthening Tshwane’s position as a host city for continental and global gatherings, with direct benefits for our local economy,” she said.

“Tshwane is South Africa’s safest city, according to the latest State of Urban Safety Report. It is also one of the fastest growing metros, hosts one of the largest diplomatic communities in the world, and is the only metro with a Big 5 game reserve,” said Mabotsa.

“Tshwane has a unique and compelling tourism offering. We are ready to take this to the world and to welcome the world to our capital city,” she said.

However, the Freedom Front Plus (FF+) has strongly criticised the plan, describing the Tshwane metro’s recent announcement of a R26-billion tourism plan as an economic ‘pipe dream’ that is out of touch with the fiscal reality of the capital.

FF+ councillor Mari Joubert said promising 80 000 new jobs by 2029 while the metro’s basic assets and infrastructure are collapsing is unrealistic and amounts to political opportunism.

The proposed Tshwane Economic Revitalisation Strategy relies heavily on public-private partnerships (PPPs) for the development of municipal properties, including sports facilities, reserves and heritage sites.

She raised several concerns about the feasibility and risks of the strategy.

Joubert said the party argue that it is irresponsible to project large-scale tourism growth while the metro struggles to maintain its existing assets, noting that sports stadiums and museums are already dilapidated due to years of neglect.

She added that without proper routine maintenance, private investors are unlikely to commit to projects in the city.

She also warned about the risks related to the potential alienation of assets, as the plan allows for the large-scale transfer of strategic city properties such as the Tshwane Events Centre and Pilditch Stadium to private developers.

“Without strict oversight and independent valuations, the metro could lose valuable public assets at a fraction of their worth.”

Joubert additionally, raised concerns about fiscal exposure for ratepayers, cautioning that long-term PPP contracts often create unforeseen financial obligations for municipalities.

She said in the current economic climate, the metro cannot afford to use public funds as surety for high-risk projects.

She warned that repeating past mistakes under the banner of economic development could have serious consequences for the metro’s finances.

“Sustainable economic growth depends on reliable basic services and transparent governance, rather than large-scale financial promises that are not supported by a sound budget.”

The party said it will continue to push for a development strategy focused on fiscal discipline, transparency, and the protection of municipal assets for the benefit of all residents.

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