Cape Town - Travel and tourism is forecast to contribute more to the
South African economy in 2018 than in any other year, according to
new research released by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) on
Thursday.
The WTTC forecasts that the sector will contribute R424.5bn to the
overall SA economy in 2018 - about 3% more than in 2017.
According to Gloria Guevara, president and CEO of WTTC, travel and
tourism creates jobs, drives economic growth and helps build better
societies.
`WTTC predicts that our sector will contribute more to the SA economy
than in any other year, which makes it the perfect partner for the
new administration to put at the heart of the country’s long-term
economic plans,” she said.
Travel and tourism supported 1.5 million jobs in SA in 2017 - 9.5% of
total employment in the country. The WTTC report estimates that by
2028 almost 2.1 million jobs in SA will depend on travel and tourism.
The industry contributes 9% of the total gross domestic product (GDP)
of SA, once all the direct, indirect and induced benefits are taken
into account.
In constant 2017 prices and exchange rates, the direct contribution
of travel and tourism to SA`s GDP was R136.1bn (2.9% of total GDP) in
2017. WTTC forecasts this will rise by 2.4% in 2018 and by 3.6% per
year between 2018 to 2028. The total contribution of travel and
tourism to SA`s GDP was R412.5bn (8.9% of GDP) in 2017 and is
forecast to rise by 2.9% in 2018.
As for the potential impact of the drought in the Western Cape and
Cape Town`s water challenge on the tourism industry, WTTC
spokesperson Toby Nicol told Fin24 that the numbers released in the
latest

report did not model any possible impact of the Cape Town
water situation as the situation appears to be under control.
Cape Town is also just one element of the overall SA tourism offer.
`Tourists tend to be remarkably resilient when it comes to visiting
destinations,` he added.
Global trends
For the seventh consecutive year, the global travel and tourism
sector has outperformed the global economy. In 2017 it was the
fastest growing broad economic sector globally, showing stronger
growth than all sectors including manufacturing (4.2%), retail and
wholesale (3.4%), agriculture, forestry and fisheries (2.6%) and
financial services (2.5%).
It supports one in ten jobs on the planet and contributes 10% of
global GDP, according to Guevara.
`Over the past ten years, one in five of all jobs created across the
world has been in the sector and, with the right support from
governments, nearly 100 million new jobs could be created over the
decade ahead,” she said.
Global forecasts for 2018 suggest that growth in the global travel
and tourism industry will continue, although at a slower rate than in
2017 as a result of higher oil prices.

“As our sector continues to become more important both as a generator
of GDP and jobs, our key challenge will be ensuring this growth is
sustainable and inclusive,` said Guevara.
`Going forward we need to ensure that growth is planned for, well
managed and includes partnerships between not only the public and
private sectors but also includes communities themselves.` V.2232

One of the highlighted topics: Critical Skills Visa.

- Key Insight: Is your profession on the Critical Skills List? This visa is your fast track to working in South Afr...
- This matter relates to critical skills visa and its broader implications.
- Individuals are advised to seek professional guidance.

Is your profession on the Critical Skills List? This visa is your fast trac V.6139
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One of the applicants, Phindile Mazibuko, became a victim of identity theft in 2012 when fraudulent transactions occurred, using her personal details.

-The Pretoria High Court found that the department of home affairs had violated constitutional rights without due process.
-Only half of Lawyers for Human Rights` test group has been unblocked, while 385 000 identities remain blocked nationwide.
-LHR appeals extension, urges affected people to seek help now.

Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) are intensifying pressure on the department of home affairs over the national ID-blocking crisis, accusing the state of acting too slowly to unblock qualifying individuals despite a landmark court ruling.

In January last year, the Pretoria High Court found that the department`s practice of blocking IDs without due process was unlawful and unconstitutional. One of the applicants, Phindile Mazibuko, a Swati citizen and South African permanent resident since 1998, fell victim to identity theft in 2012 when fraudsters used her personal details.

 V.6133
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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6128
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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6129
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A Washington state mother and her 6-year-old son have been released after spending more than three weeks in US immigration detention due to a brief trip to Canada and a small paperwork mistake, her attorney told CNN on Saturday.

Sarah Shaw, a New Zealand citizen who has lived legally in the US since she arrived in 2021, was detained at the Blaine, Washington, Customs and Border Protection checkpoint when returning home after dropping her two oldest children off at the Vancouver airport for a flight to visit their grandparents in New Zealand. Shaw, 33, chose the flight out of Vancouver because it was direct and she didn`t want her children to have to navigate a layover alone, her attorney Minda Thorward, told CNN.

 V.6130
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On 22 July 2025, the Gauteng High Court dismissed Sitrusrand Boerdery`s review of the Department of Employment and Labour`s refusal to issue a Working Conditions and Salary Benchmarking Certificate, an essential precondition for obtaining corporate visas under the Immigration Act.

Acting Judge Kekana AJ held that the Department`s decision was lawful, rational and procedurally fair. This judgment illustrates how businesses can - and must - structure their corporate visa applications to meet statutory requirements, and how legal practitioners should prepare robust review challenges when administrative authorities decline to recommend foreign-work permits.

 V.6131
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The United States could forfeit an estimated 9.4 billion dollars in visitor spending over the next three years following the introduction of a new 250 dollars `visa integrity fee,` according to industry groups, who warn the policy risks undermining tourism and costing thousands of jobs.
The United States’ decision to introduce a 250 dollars `visa integrity fee` on international visitors has triggered sharp criticism from the global tourism industry, with officials warning that the measure could deter millions of travellers and cost the U.S. economy billions.
The 250dollar `visa integrity fee,` part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed on July 4, 2025, will take effect later this year. According to immigration law firm Envoy Global, it applies to all nonimmigrant visa holders which include students, tourists, temporary workers, and business visitors particularly from African countries. V.6132
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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6127
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1. Right to Legal Representation•You have the right to consult with a legal representative.•Contact an immigration practitioner, legal aid clinic, or attorney urgently.•Do not sign any documents without understanding them fully. 2. Section 34 of the Immigration Act•You must be brought to court with 48 hours to confirm arrest but you can remain locked up very long as courts figure out what to do with you •If you`re found to be illegally in South Africa, you may be detained for up to 30 days (extendable by a magistrate) pending deportation.•BUT this cannot happen arbitrarily. You must be informed of your rights, and Home Affairs must follow due process.- becomes a nightmare , you could lose your job , business , place to stay V.6121
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Driving for Bolt, Uber, Mr D, or Checkers Sixty60?If you`re undocumented, you`re risking more than just your income.The Risks if You`re Not Legal: - Vehicle impoundment - Heavy fines - Arrest & deportation - Permanent bans from working in SA V.6122
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