Gauteng’s National Tourism Careers Expo 2023 closes on high note
Gauteng’s tourism industry will receive a major economic boost from the provincial government, according to Tasneem Motara, Gauteng MEC for Economic Development, Environment, Agriculture, and Rural Development.
Speaking at the recently held National Tourism Careers Expo (NTCE), Motara said that the Gauteng provincial government had identified 10 high growth sectors for economic inclusion and expansion - and tourism was one of these.
“Tourism sits up there with sectors such as ICT, manufacturing, finance and mining; and contributes greatly to Gauteng’s GDP and the GDP of South Africa. We are going to focus on economic support for these sectors through additional policy imperatives and guidance, additional funding support, infrastructure support and establishing partnerships.”
For Motara, hosting the NTCE over the past three years has been a learning experience and a privilege to interact with learners and teachers. This two-way process underlined the importance of the NTCE.
With as many as 97 exhibitors and registrations topping 10 000, the 2023 NTCE was a great success.
Deputy Tourism Minister, Fish Mahlalela said that the optimal rejuvenation of tourism would require an inclusive and transformative approach which ensured that all, in particular youth and women, enjoy the benefits of the success of the sector.
“As government, our approach to a skills revolution is to assist people to upskill and future-proof themselves in light of this fast-changing work environment to mitigate the impact of triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality.”
According to Marks Thibela CEO of the Culture, Arts, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Education Training Authority (CATHSSETA), NTCE 2023 was the final one for Gauteng. The NTCE was hosted in collaboration with the Department of Tourism, CATHSETA and the Gauteng Department of Economic Development, represented by the Gauteng Tourism Authority.
The Expo provided comprehensive career guidance to learners from grades 9 to 12, as well as to students in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions and universities, alongside unemployed graduates, said Thibela.
Career Guidance is one of the eight outcomes encapsulated in the National Skills Development Plan (NSDP) 2023 - and CATHSSETA has, over the years, disbursed Discretionary Grant funding to various stakeholders to skills development initiatives.
The announcement of the Global Travel and Tourism Partnership South Africa (GTTP-SA) research winners for their papers on Building a Resilient Workforce for a Sustainable Future was a highlight of the NTCE 2023.
In first place were Tiisetso Mfene and Kelebogile Gare with their teacher, Ms Phindile Mabasa of Meadowlands High School in Soweto. They will spend five days in Dubai and represent South Africa when presenting their research at the international Global Travel and Tourism Learner and Teacher Conference in November 2023.
Second place went to Michelle Mncube and Lebohang Kutumela with their teacher, Ms Thembu from Johannesburg’s Daliwonga Secondary School. They won a three-night trip to a SA destination outside Gauteng.
In third place were Lindiwe Mkhize and Londeka Ngcobo with their teacher, Ms Nosihle Mntungwa from Durban’s Nombika Secondary School. They won a two-night trip to a SA destination outside KwaZulu-Natal.