12-06-2014 : Joburg Tourism celebrates youth month ahead of June 16 Commemmoration
With Youth Month upon us and ahead of the City's June 16 Commemorations, Joburg Tourism is taking its Explore, Experience & Enjoy Joburg campaign to Soweto this week.
This week's interview line-up includes Ali Hlongwe, of the City's Department of Culture & Heritage, giving an overview of the Hector Pieterson Museum's development and Lebo Malepo of Soweto Backpackers, before the KayaFM team takes over Thrive, a new restaurant on Vilakazi Street, for their outside broadcast from 15h00 – 18h00 on Friday 13 June.
"This is a tribute to all those who played a role in the struggle, while remembering the pivotal role the events of 1976 played in ultimately leading us to where we are today, celebrating 20 years of democracy in South Africa," says Tshidi Mlaba, Deputy Director, Destination Marketing at Joburg Tourism. "Soweto's vibrancy has remained, making it one of the city's (and indeed the country's) most sought after tourist destinations, attracting people from all over the world, interested to learn more about its role in the road to democracy. This has in turn inspired the growth of a varied range of tourism products – from museums and restaurants and fun adventure attractions like backpackers, cycling and quadbiking tours to bungee jumping and even bird watching. Soweto has truly retained its iconic status as an exciting, happening destination."
Two Decades of Tourism Growth in Johannesburg, Africa's Most Exciting City
Now proudly taking its place as Africa's second largest city, there is always something new to get excited about in Joburg, which is growing at an unprecedented rate – constantly and continuously transforming itself. This extraordinary city is seen not only as the economic hub of the Continent, but also as offering a plethora of cultural, leisure, sporting, fashion and lifestyle activities that is fast making it the leading destination for both leisure and business tourists.
The past 20 years have been especially exciting for the burgeoning and subsequent boom of the tourism industry and there's no indication that things will be slowing down any time soon!
The figures bear this out. According to the third annual MasterCard Global Destination Cities Index released in June 2013, Johannesburg is set to be the most popular destination in Africa, with a projected 2.54 million international visitors expected to visit the city in 2013.
Despite a marginal 5.5% increase in the number of international visitors from 2012, Johannesburg's substantial 53.6% growth in international visitors from 2009 to 2013 has propelled it into the Index's top 20 fastest growing cities globally.
Johannesburg also comes out tops in Africa in terms of international visitor spending, with US$2.7 billion estimated to be injected into the city during 2013, a slight increase (1%) on 2012's expenditure.
While a vast number of these visitors arrive for business reasons or events, ever increasing numbers are staying to sample and experience Joburg's fascinatingly diverse, urban tourism and lifestyle scene.
Although only 128 years old, Joburg boasts layer upon layer of interesting, arts, culture and heritage – from its ancient palaentological and anthropological history to its farming, Boer War and mining boomtown past, and of course, not forgetting its significance in the more recent struggle history.
The development of the tourism scene in Joburg over the past twenty years has seen a dramatic increase in the number of precincts, museums and attractions to highlight the city's fascinating story, developed by both the public and private sectors.
Vilakazi Street in Soweto, the Maboneng Precinct to the east of the CBD, as well as Braamfontein further north, are just some of the lively neighbourhoods and precincts which have come into their own over the past decade or more.
Myriads of outstanding new heritage sites have been brought into being include the Origins Centre at Wits, the Apartheid Museum at Gold Reef City, the award-winning Liliesleaf Farm, the Hector Pietersen and Chancellor House Museums and the epic Constitution Hill complex, home to South Africa's Constitutional Court.
These are just the tip of the iceberg and a number of routes have been developed to take in the City's diversity in terms of themes and attractions, including arts, cuisine, Indian and Chinese heritage, adventure and nature.
Johannesburg is increasingly being perceived in the global community as a destination of choice for investment, commerce and tourism. An international survey of perceptions about the world's 50 premier cities shows a significant improvement in perceptions about the City.
The 2013 Anholt-GfK Roper City Brand Index is now ranking Johannesburg in 44th position, from a 45th ranking. However, the City has shown the second biggest improvement in perceptions among the 5 000 people in 10 developed and developing countries who participated in the survey.
How to Explore, Experience & Enjoy Joburg in 72 hours!
JOBURG'S TOP ATTRACTIONS – DON'T LEAVE WITHOUT EXPERIENCING:
City Sightseeing Bus: www.citysightseeing.co.za
Travel with City Sightseeing's hop-on hop-off red bus to all Johannesburg and Soweto's top tourist attractions – one of the best ways to explore Joburg at your own pace.
Origins Centre : www.origins.org.za
A museum in Africa for the people of the world – offering visitors a unique experience of Africa's rich complex and mysterious past.
Gold Reef City: www.goldreefcity.co.za
Experience Africa's greatest entertainment Theme Park created around an authentic 19th Century Gold mine at Gold Reef Theme Park.
Johannesburg Zoo: www.jhbzoo.org.za
The Joburg Zoo is one of the most popular local and tourist attractions situated in the leafy northern suburbs of Johannesburg. Founded in 1904 and covering 81 hectares , Joburg Zoo houses over 320 species, totaling about 2000 animals; it is open to the public 365 days a year.
The SAB World of Beer: www.worldofbeer.co.za
The SAB World of Beer ranks as one of South Africa's top two tourist experiences, offering nearly 50 000 visitors a year a uniquely memorable encounter with the magic of beer and brewing.
Montecasino: www.montecasino.co.za
Located in Fourways, north of Johannesburg , Montecasino is known for being Gauteng's number one entertainment destination.
Apartheid Museum: www.apartheidmuseum.org
The first of its kind, this museum illustrates the rise and fall of apartheid. It is a beacon of hope, showing the world how South Africans are coming to terms with their oppressive past and working towards a future that they can all call their own.
The Struggle Route including:
• Mandela Family Museum: www.mandelahouse.com
• Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication: www.waltersisulusquare.co.za
• Hector Pieterson Memorial & Museum: www.joburg.org.za
• Liliesleaf Farm: www.liliesleaf.co.za
• Constitution Hill: www.constitutionhill.org.za
For more information, please visit www.joburgtourism.com or www.joburg.org.za
Ends
Released by: Laura Vercueil : PR & Communication Manager
Johannesburg Tourism
Tel: +27 11 214 0700
Email: laurav@joburgtourism.com
Info Line : 0860 333 999
