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South Africa’s G20 Presidency Champions Inclusive, Sustainable Tourism with Digital Innovation South Africa’s G20 Presidency Champions Inclusive, Sustainable Tourism with Digital Innovation

Inclusion, sustainability, and solidarity as the pillars for the future of global tourism. His remarks underscored how these principles are not mere slogans but essential frameworks for addressing the interconnected challenges facing the sector worldwide.

South Africa’s presidency has set a clear agenda with four strategic priorities designed to reshape tourism’s trajectory, especially for Africa and other developing regions. These priorities are:

  • Empowering travel and tourism startups and MSMEs through digital innovation: Recognizing that micro, small, and medium enterprises form the backbone of tourism economies, the presidency emphasizes harnessing emerging technologies, including people-centered artificial intelligence, to boost competitiveness and inclusion. However, this digital transformation must be paired with adequate financing and targeted programs to bridge the digital divide and ensure no one is left behind.
  • Tourism financing and investment to promote equality and sustainable development: Despite tourism’s vital role in employment and foreign exchange for many developing countries, including Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States, it remains critically underfunded. Official Development Assistance (ODA) for tourism accounts for less than 0.11% of total ODA, a glaring gap that the presidency aims to address by advocating for innovative financing mechanisms and increased investment flows.
  • Enhancing air connectivity for seamless travel: Improved air links are essential to unlocking tourism potential, particularly in Africa, where limited routes and high costs hinder growth. The agenda calls for expanded air routes, streamlined border processes, and support for cleaner aviation technologies to make travel more accessible, affordable, and sustainable.
  • Building resilience for inclusive, sustainable tourism development: The sector must be prepared to withstand and recover from crises such as pandemics, climate change, and geopolitical shocks. Strengthening resilience ensures tourism can continue to generate jobs and economic benefits even in the face of disruptions.

Pololikashvili highlighted the critical role of digital transformation in enabling tourism MSMEs to innovate and expand, stressing that without proper financing and inclusive policies, the benefits of technology will remain out of reach for many. This focus aligns with the broader G20 theme of “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability,” which calls for unified efforts and mutual support among nations to tackle global challenges collectively.

Tourism’s importance for developing countries was a key theme. For many, tourism is a major source of employment, foreign exchange, and tax revenue, yet it continues to be overlooked in development assistance and investment strategies. The stark underfunding of tourism through ODA was emphasized as a barrier to unlocking the sector’s full potential for sustainable development and poverty reduction.

Turning to Africa, Pololikashvili pointed out the continent’s unique demographic advantage, with 70% of sub-Saharan Africa’s population under the age of 30. This youthful population represents a dynamic workforce and a growing consumer base that can drive tourism growth if supported by the right investments and policies. The G20 Presidency under South Africa is seen as a platform to showcase Africa’s leadership and to catalyze tourism investment that creates jobs and fosters inclusion across the continent.

On the global stage, the G20 economies dominate international tourism, accounting for around 70% of all international tourist arrivals and 83% of global tourism GDP. In 2023, tourism directly contributed 3.1% to the G20’s GDP, with tourism exports making up 23% of all service exports in 2024. These figures highlight the sector’s economic weight and the importance of coordinated policies among G20 members to promote sustainable and inclusive tourism growth worldwide.

In summary, the G20 Tourism Ministers Meeting under South Africa’s Presidency has set a forward-looking agenda that prioritizes digital innovation, enhanced financing, improved connectivity, and resilience. These efforts aim to ensure that tourism remains a powerful engine for economic development, especially in Africa and other developing regions, while advancing the global goals of solidarity, equality, and sustainability.