by TINTSWALO BALOYI
JOHANNESBURG – IN a significant move to unify and strengthen the region’s tourism, private sector leaders from Southern Africa have established a new steering committee under the SADC Tourism Alliance to address barriers hindering tourism growth.
The alliance, launched in 2022, serves as the collective private sector voice representing national tourism bodies and businesses across all 16 Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states.
SADC countries comprise Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Eswatini, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe
Its goal is to foster cross-border collaboration to unlock the vast untapped tourism potential in the region, where intra-regional travel accounts for less than 25% of arrivals and air connectivity remains limited.
The newly appointed steering committee will guide the alliance’s efforts over the next three years, focusing on enhancing regional cooperation, improving air access, building a stronger regional tourism reputation, and ensuring institutional sustainability.
The committee is chaired by Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa, CEO of the Tourism Business Council of South Africa.
Other members include Tojo Lytah Razafimahefa of Madagascar’s CTM, Memory Momba Kamthunzi of Malawi Tourism Council, Ally Karaerua of Namibia’s FENATA, Paul Matamisa of Zimbabwe’s Tourism Business Council, and Nasser Zauria Usta representing Mozambique’s CTA.
“Tourists don’t see borders the way we do,” said Tshivhengwa adding that: “By working together, we can unlock investment, create jobs, and protect our natural heritage on a scale none of us can achieve alone.”
The alliance’s work aligns with the SADC Tourism Programme 2020-2030 vision to position Southern Africa as a competitive, sustainable, and unified global tourism destination.
This initiative is supported by the Joint Action NatureAfrica / Climate Resilience and Natural Resource Management Programme, co-funded by the European Union and German Government, and implemented by GIZ.
– CAJ News
