Our Beautiful Country Awaits

South Africa is a top African destination with increasing tourist arrivals each year. This year marks 20 years of freedom and tourism growth for our country. Our spectacular scenery and diverse destinations make our country one of the most desired destinations in the world. And it’s not just a destination for foreign visitors… South Africa also offers its own people a world in one country.

On 24^th June 1995, little more than a year after our first democratic elections, South Africa hosted the Rugby World Cup. Rugby had previously been a whites-only sport, but when Mandela presented the trophy to captain Francois Pienaar at Ellis Park after the Springboks beat the All Blacks, he did so wearing a Springbok shirt with Pienaar’s own number on the back.

This was a major milestone for democracy and the reconciliation of white and black South Africans. The Rugby World Cup also opened the doors to international visitors from far and wide, while local visitors were given the opportunity to view their own country as a destination with much to offer.

Tourism has since created more than half a million jobs and has overtaken our renowned gold exports in terms of earning foreign revenue. In fact, with growth at three times the world average, tourism has become one of the most important sectors in South Africa. Since the end of Apartheid, we have been able to showcase our diversity, not only culturally but also in terms of climate, landscape, holiday destinations, adventure and sport.

Sho’t Left

Earlier this year, former Minister of Tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, visited Witzenberg,

one of the Western Cape’s hidden tourism treasures, as part of a Sho’t Left campaign event to promote domestic tourism. The event was themed “Promoting the Hidden Treasures of Our Country” and was coordinated in partnership with the Witzenberg Municipality, South African Tourism (SAT) and the Tourism Enterprise Partnership (TEP) in celebration of the **20 Years of Freedom and Tourism Growth in South Africa**.

According to van Schalkwyk “South Africa’s hidden treasures are showcased through tourism”. This is the message the Sho’t Left campaign wants every South African to appreciate: That tourism affects the lives of ordinary citizens, and that all of us should enjoy exploring our beautiful country.

Hidden Treasures

While the Kruger National Park is a must-see and Cape Town has been named one of the world’s top destinations by **Conde Nast**, **Lonely Planet**, and **The New York Times**, there really is a long list of hidden tourism treasures, and many are often right on your doorstep. Here are five tourism ideas that will change the way you see South Africa as a travel destination:

World Heritage Destinations

South Africa is home to eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Cradle of Humankind, the Vredefort Dome, the Isimangaliso Wetland Park, the Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape, the uKhahlamba Drakensberg National Park, the Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape, Robben Island, and South Africa’s Cape Floral Region. If you have a passion for culture and natural history, add these destinations to your bucket list. Why not plan a visit to at least one of these sites for your December holiday?

Paleo Tourism Destinations

When you’re relaxing at a quaint bistro in Johannesburg, it may be hard to imagine that South Africa is anarchaeological wonderland. The Cradle of Humankind is considered the birthplace of the human species, and sites of great archaeological significance include Sterkfontein, Swartkrans, and Kromdraai. These sites tell the story of our human ancestors some two to three million years ago. The remains of more than 500 hominids have been discovered at the Sterkfontein Caves alone!

Adventure Abounds

From hiking through the Blyde River Canyon and rock climbing at Waterval Boven in Mpumalanga, to bungee jumping at Bloukrans (which holds the Guinness World Record  for the highest bungee jump in the world), adventure is not hard to find. We have 3,000 km of coastline, soaring mountains, diverse terrain, and an outdoor climate. Take your pick from surfing on the West Coast, horseback safaris in Limpopo, hiking the Otter Trail along the Tsitsikamma coastline, skydiving at Wonderboom, and white-water rafting at Augrabies or on the Orange River.

Sports Events

We’re crazy about sports, so it’s not hard to find a sporting event on any given weekend somewhere in South Africa. From the big ones like the 2003 Cricket World Cup and the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and annual mass participant events like the Argus Cycle Race and the Comrades Marathon, to weekly Parkruns, trail races, and orienteering events, you can always design your next trip around being active, healthy and fit.

Eco-tourism

There are a host of  parks under the SANParks and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife banners and many more privately owned reserves across the country. South Africa’s fauna and flora is far more exciting than just the Big Five. Visit the Namaqua National Park in August and September to have your breath taken away by fields of colourful daisies. Make your way to the red dunes of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Park on the Namibia and Botswana borders. Here you’ll find herds of gemsbok, springbok, eland and blue wildebeest amid Camel thorn trees, which mask huge black-mane lions, leopard and raptors.

Ancient baobabs dot the Limpopo landscape, and whales can be spotted off the coast of the St Lucia Wetland area in KwaZulu-Natal. Many of our parks offer outdoor experiences that cannot be experienced anywhere else in the world.

With the December holidays around the corner, there’s no need to flock to the crowded beaches in Durban and Cape Town. The rest of our beautiful country awaits.

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