Mpumalanga woos South Asian tourists in bid to boost tourism, jobs

The Mpumalanga government is intensifying efforts to attract South Asian tourists and fresh investment into the province’s tourism sector as it battles unemployment and pushes for economic growth through safari, scenery and cross-border travel.

This comes after economic development and tourism MEC Jesta Sidell led a provincial delegation to the 2026 Africa’s Travel Indaba in Durban, where the province held strategic talks with international buyers, neighbouring countries and potential investors.

The engagements included meetings with the Indian Consulate, delegations from Mozambique and Eswatini, as well as tourism stakeholders from Gauteng, Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal.

Mpumalanga believes the partnerships could translate into increased tourist arrivals and greater spending in the province’s tourism economy.

“The Indian Consulate committed to use its social media platforms and various marketing platforms to promote Mpumalanga as a preferred tourism destination of choice,” said acting departmental communications head Silence Mhlaba.

Tourism: goose laying golden egg

The province is banking on tourism as a labour-intensive economic sector capable of creating jobs in hospitality, transport, entertainment and small business.

Speaking after the engagements, Sidell said the province was positioning itself as a serious tourism investment destination.

“We are delighted to indicate that we held a successful tourism investment dialogue with potential investors to engage on various investment opportunities Mpumalanga tourism can offer,” Sidell said.

“Our discussion with the potential investors was anchored on the understanding that tourism is a vital, labour-intensive pillar on the developmental agenda, driving inclusive economic growth, poverty alleviation and infrastructure investment.”

Sidell said the province was in a good position to become a leader as far as attracting tourists is concerned.

“I can assert without fear of contradiction that the Place of the Rising Sun is uniquely positioned to become a leading tourism investment destination,” she said.

Lowveld safari a drawcard

Recent tourism figures underline why Mpumalanga remains one of South Africa’s most strategic tourism provinces. South African Tourism data showed that Mpumalanga recorded about 972 000 domestic tourism trips during the first quarter of 2025 alone, placing the province among the country’s stronger domestic travel destinations.

The province also remains one of the country’s major international tourism gateways because of the global draw of the Lowveld safari economy surrounding the Kruger National Park. Tourism authorities estimate that hundreds of thousands of international tourists move through Mpumalanga annually, with South Africa recording 10.5 million international tourist arrivals in 2025 as the sector surpassed pre-pandemic levels.

The province’s tourism economy is anchored by globally recognised attractions such as the Kruger National Park, the Panorama Route and the Blyde River Canyon, while growing regional tourism links with Mozambique and Eswatini continue to strengthen Mpumalanga’s position as a gateway tourism hub in southern Africa.

Interestingly, the province’s tourism pitch stretches far beyond wildlife.

While international tourists continue to flock to the iconic Kruger National Park and luxury private game reserves, Mpumalanga is increasingly marketing its mountains, culture and adventure tourism offerings.

The province boasts attractions such as Blyde River Canyon, God’s Window, Bourke’s Luck Potholes and the Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Regional tourism also remains crucial to the province’s economy, particularly through cross-border travel involving Mozambique and Eswatini.

Joint tourism website on cards

The parties reaffirmed commitments to the TriLand tourism agreement linking the three territories, with discussions now under way around the possibility of launching a joint tourism website.

Domestic tourism remains another pillar of Mpumalanga’s strategy, with thousands of Gauteng travellers regularly flocking to the province for weekend escapes, waterfalls, lodges, camping sites and scenic road trips along the Panorama Route.

Mhlaba said Africa’s Travel Indaba gave Mpumalanga an important platform to market its tourism product to international buyers.

“Africa’s Travel Indaba presented the province with a strategic opportunity to promote Mpumalanga’s tourism product offering to predominately international hosted buyers,” he said.

Visit SW YouTube Channel for our video content