Gauteng Business 2018-19 edition

OVERVIEW Tourism

OVERVIEW Tourism Heritage is a growth sector. Heritage tourism is a strong component of the tourism offering in Gauteng. The Cradle of Humankind is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and attracts thousands of visitors every year to the interactive visitor’s centre at Maropeng, shown above. The Sterkfontein Caves have recently revealed astonishing finds, showing the origins of humanity through artefacts such as the 2.1-million-year-old skull known as Mrs Ples. The Origins Centre at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg is well equipped and provides more fascinating insights into the origins of mankind through art and science. The Centre hosts superb representations of Khoi and San rock art. More recent history relating to the struggle against apartheid centres on attractions such as the moving exhibitions housed at the Apartheid Museum and the history of the battle for human rights and democracy embodied in Constitution Hill. The latter site won National Heritage Site status in 2017 and application has been made for world heritage status. Constitution Hill is also a popular site with film crews. Kliptown in Soweto is the site of the signing of the Freedom Charter. An urban regeneration project has seen the development of the Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication. Another site where South Africa’s history is on display is at Freedom Park, a sprawling complex of museums, open spaces and memorials on a hillside overlooking Pretoria in Tshwane. SECTOR INSIGHTS Constitution Hill has been declared a National Heritage Site. • SADC markets are being targeted. Cultural and history tourism are further catered for by more than 60 other museums and art galleries in the province. These include the Ditsong National Museum of Natural History (Transvaal Museum), Museum Africa in Johannesburg’s cultural Newtown precinct, the South African Military History Museum and the National Cultural History Museum. Craft markets at Rosebank, Bruma and many other places draw large numbers of visitors and GAUTENG BUSINESS 2018/19 58

OVERVIEW provide economic opportunities for a wide range of entrepreneurs in textiles, leather, traditional art and beadwork. The broader creative industries sector contributes more than R3.3-billion to the Gauteng economy and employs 182 000 people, according to the provincial government. This includes film and advertising studios. Tourism is one of the sectors being targeted for a closer working relationship between the private sector, academia and various government entities. The Gauteng Business Consultative Forum (GBCF) is an initiative of the Gauteng Provincial Government that meets four times a year. The Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) hosts the functions at its Johannesburg campus. South Africa’s biggest international airport is OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. Some R200-million was spent on extending and upgrading the runways and aprons prior to South Africa hosting the 2010 World Cup football tournament. OR Tambo caters about 20-million passengers every year, receives more than 105 000 arriving air traffic movements and employs 18 000 people. The Gauteng Tourism Authority is targeting Southern African Development Community markets such as Botswana and Mozambique. The city of Ekurhuleni successfully hosted Airport Cities: World Conference and Exhibition in 2013 as part of the city’s plan to establish an aerotropolis around OR Tambo International Airport. The Tshwane Events Centre and the CSIR International Convention and Exhibition Centre are among Pretoria’s most used venues. The OR Tambo Building of the Department of International Affairs and Cooperation (Dirco) won architectural awards and hosts conferences and meetings of the Pan-African African Parliament. Events A Bidding, Hosting and Events Strategy for the Gauteng City Region has been developed to encourage investors. The Gauteng Convention and Events Bureau (GCEB) promotes the province as a conference and events venue. The Johannesburg Tourism Company has a dedicated unit, the Johannesburg Convention Bureau, that assists companies in preparing bid documents and in supplying relevant information on telecommunications and IT services and the securing of visas for visiting international delegates. Big events continue to draw big crowds. These include the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz, DStv Delicious Food and Music Festival, and the Gauteng Sansui Summer Cup (horse racing). With events growing in importance within the tourism offering, efforts are being made to include townships to a greater extent. The GTA gives support to two Soweto events, the annual Makhelwane Festival in Mzimhlophe and the Soweto Wine Festival together with the Tshwane Township Weekend Experience, covering Garankuwa and Mamelodi. Gauteng is a continental leader in conferences and events. Most large hotels have conference facilities. Large venues in Johannesburg are: • Johannesburg Expo Centre, Nasrec. Capacity: 15 000 • Coca-Cola Dome, Randburg. Capacity: 14 000 • Standard Bank Arena, New Doornfontein. Capacity: 6 300 • Sandton Convention Centre, Sandton: Capacity: 4 500 Hotels Location, it is said, is key in all property developments. In Gauteng today, location relative to the Gautrain has become an additional component of value. So much so that the 216-room Radisson Blu Gautrain Hotel even has the vital word in its name. The hotel, which is in Sandton, was a winner 2017 in the World Luxury Hotel Awards in the categories, Luxury Business Hotel and Luxury Hotel and Conference Centre. The nearby Radisson Blu Hotel, Sandton, won the Luxury City Hotel Award. A huge new multi-use development is taking shape in 59 GAUTENG BUSINESS 2018/19