Mpumalanga, a popular tourist destination in South Africa, welcomed approximately 2.7 million visitors in 2025. However, despite the significant number of tourists, the province's tourism businesses are not reaping the full benefits. According to Oupa Pilane, CEO of the Kruger Lowveld Chamber of Business and Tourism, visitors have few reasons to stay longer and spend more money, partly due to concerns about safety.
The province's tourism sector is not delivering its full potential as a driver of economic growth, job creation, poverty alleviation, and enterprise development. Of every R100 tourists spend, only about R8 is spent in Mpumalanga. Pilane described the province as a "showroom" where tourists come to visit but do not spend money. He attributed this to the limited activities and facilities available at many attractions, citing the Bourke's Luck Potholes attraction as an example.
At Bourke's Luck Potholes, visitors pay an entrance fee but have limited opportunities to spend money on food, drinks, activities, or other services. In contrast, the Graskop Gorge has developed additional tourism facilities, allowing visitors to participate in activities and increasing their average spend to about R500 per person. Pilane emphasized the need to replicate this model at other attractions in the province to increase visitor spending.
The lack of activities and facilities also results in tourists moving through the province quickly. Many visitors spend only a day or two in Mpumalanga before moving on to other destinations, such as Cape Town. Carlos Doukas, a visitor from Mozambique, shared his family's concerns about crime and the lack of e-hailing services in the province. These concerns have led them to stop visiting some attractions and limit their activities.
Doukas highlighted the challenges of getting around the province without e-hailing services, which forces his family to fill up their vehicle with fuel and cut back on activities. He also expressed concerns about safety, citing instances of robbery and a lack of police visibility. His wife, Naomi, emphasized the need to make foreign visitors feel more welcome in the province.
Pilane acknowledged that transport and safety are not issues that can be addressed by the tourism department alone. He advocated for a broader "destination development" approach, involving departments responsible for roads, transport, safety, and social development. The chamber has proposed a Mpumalanga tourism growth partnership, which has been accepted by the premier, with key deliverables to be monitored quarterly.
The partnership aims to address the challenges facing the province's tourism sector, including governance and capacity. Pilane expressed concern about tourism businesses being increasingly burdened with responsibilities that should be handled by the government. The chamber is working to prioritize the development of e-hailing services and improve safety and mobility in the province.
Key points
- Mpumalanga's tourism sector struggles to capitalize on visitor numbers due to limited activities and safety concerns.
- The province needs to develop more tourism facilities and activities to increase visitor spending.
- A broader "destination development" approach is required to address transport, safety, and other challenges facing the tourism sector.
