De Lille calls for more affordable domestic travel to boost tourism
Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille says South Africa needs to make domestic travel more affordable as the cost of living puts pressure on households.
Speaking at the launch of Tourism Month in Durban, De Lille says domestic tourism remains the bedrock of the sector.
She says South Africans took more than 21 million overnight trips in the first six months of this year.
De Lille says government already has plans in place to grow tourism but a lack of implementation and reluctance to act are holding the sector back.
She says if these plans are properly implemented, South Africa will be in a stronger position to compete for a bigger share of the global tourism market.
“And before we speak about millions of international arrivals, we must speak to our own people about taking a weekend away in our own country. It’s your country, come and enjoy your country. Because when every South African travels in our country, it’s a contribution to our economy.”
Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille is in Durban today for the launch of South Africa’s 2026 Tourism Month campaign.
The campaign is centred on the “Sho’t Left” concept, encouraging South Africans to travel locally, while also highlighting the role of digital innovation and… pic.twitter.com/6eL8VSxiyx
— SABC News (@SABCNews) August 13, 2026