Tourism leaders call for closer collaboration between sport and tourism

SSouth Africa's tourism and sport sectors must plan, bid and market together if the country is to win more major events and the visitors who follow them. That was the shared view of tourism leaders at Sport Business Forum 2026, speaking on the panel Host, Attract, Grow: Can sport become one of Africa's great tourism engines? in Johannesburg on 14 October.

Panellists argued that events are too often treated as stand-alone projects rather than as part of a national destination strategy.

There is greater need for a stronger collaboration between tourism and sport to fully maximise the sport tourism opportunity, tells Sithembile Ndaba, Chief Marketing Officer of South Africa Tourism.

This perspective was echoed by Jerry Mabena, Chair of Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) . Mabena had a word of advice for the sports : Your impact and influence will be significantly enhance by a formation of united singular industry body that speaks and represents all sport’s ecosystem stakeholders he told the forum. The panel also discussed how major events can lengthen visitor stays, spread spending beyond host cities and showcase South Africa to new markets.

"Every major event is a tourism campaign in disguise," said Sgwili Gumede, Convenor of Sport Business Forum 2026. "When sport and tourism plan together — from the bid to the fan's flight home — South Africa wins more events and keeps more of the value they create."

Key themes from the programme included:

· Investability: what it will take to make African sport a credible asset class for investors.

· Partnerships: moving from logo placement to partnerships that create shared value.

· Women's sport: turning momentum into commercial reality through sustained investment.

· Tourism: positioning sport as one of Africa's great tourism engines.

· Health and digital: the role of sport in national health and in the digital economy.

· Grassroots: why the future of sport starts in schools and communities, long before the elite level.

· Data, AI and Technology : democratises everything

· Governance : is this sports’ biggest achilles heal

· Education : why this is this the base on which evert thriving sport's ecosystem rests

The forum concluded with a sneak peek into the world of the men and women determined to bring back our gold from LA2028 with an appearance of Olympic Silver Medallist Bayanda Walaza, Commonwealth Champion Sinesipho Dambile and Diamond League winner Gift Leotlela. This trio represents the best group of athletes this country has ever produced.

ENDS

About Sport Business Forum 2026

Sport Business Forum 2026 (SBF26) brought together leaders from government, rights holders, brands, broadcasters, investors and athletes in Johannesburg on 14–15 October 2026 to shape the commercial future of sport in South Africa and across Africa. Convened by Sport Boardroom the forum was supported by the Gauteng Provincial Government, Heineken, SA Tourism, Primedia and Telkom

Media enquiries

Sgwili Gumede

Founder, Sport Boardroom Mobile: 0834007460

Email address: sgwili@sportboardroom.com

Website: www.sportboardroom.com

Handles: @sport_boardroom

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