The North West Province is shifting gears in its tourism strategy with plans to move away from event-based promotion to a structural, long-term approach that places SMEs at the centre of growth and transformation.
Tourism MEC Bitsa Lenkopane said localisation, sustainability, and economic revitalisation are no longer a slogan; they are the pillars of action.
“We finally feel seen,” said Mpho Maseko, founder of Maseko Cultural Tours, a small enterprise based in Mahikeng. “For years, we’ve been told that tourism is everyone’s business, but the support rarely reached us at ground level. Now, with real commitments towards safety, infrastructure, and investment, there’s momentum. I can plan with confidence.”
Lenkopane said the province is pursuing a multi-faceted strategy to grow its tourism offering while transforming the value chain.
“This includes the upcoming Investment Job Summit, where local and international investors will engage directly with stakeholders across the tourism and creative sectors. The province is also backing film production and related industries, recognising their power to create jobs and showcase the North West as a destination of rich stories and landscapes,” Lenkopane said.
SMEs in rural and peri-urban areas stand to benefit most. Lenkopane said the strategy also includes dedicated programmes to train young people, improve tourism safety, and facilitate direct international flights, particularly into areas beyond the traditional tourism hotspots.
“We are hopeful again,” says Thabo Maleke, who owns a small eco-lodge near Zeerust. “Tourism used to be seasonal and fragile. Now, with the promise of international flights and investment, we’re talking about year-round business and partnerships. That’s a game changer for rural operators like me.”
Spokesperson for the North-West Economic Forum Lerato Motsei said the shift is overdue.
“SMEs are the backbone of our economy. When you centre them in tourism development through localisation, procurement, training, and infrastructure, you create sustainable livelihoods. What’s being outlined is not just talk. If implemented, it can reshape the provincial economy,” Motsei said.
The Forum is also calling for transparency and ongoing engagement between government and local business structures, to ensure that the strategy does not lose momentum.
