Tourism stakeholders in the region west of Johannesburg, which includes part of the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, are proposing new visitor experiences to encourage tourists to explore beyond the area’s established attractions.
Proposals include astro-tourism experiences, a coffee route and new heritage attractions alongside efforts to package existing tourism products into more marketable itineraries.
The initiatives emerged from the Morame Regional Tourism Conference 2026 on October 3 at Kloofzicht Lodge & Spa under the theme “From Extraction to Experience”.
The conference gathered 115 delegates from government, tourism businesses, educational institutions, community organisations and development partners to discuss how the region could be developed into a more cohesive tourism destination.
The initiative covers the West Rand municipalities of Mogale City, Rand West City and Merafong City.
New tourism experiences
Delegates proposed the following:
- Heritage and mining: Proposals include strengthening the Cradle of Humankind tourism route and improving government support for maintaining tourism and heritage infrastructure. A separate committee pointed to war and military heritage, including a proposed Magaliesburg War-Heritage Lodge, museums and interpretation experiences.
- New routes and niches: Ideas include a coffee route to support local farmers while creating opportunities for youth and women and astro-tourism, including an integrated “West Rand Under the Stars” experience that links stargazing with nature, heritage and food.
- Food and farms: The gastronomy committee called for informal traders and local producers to be part of the tourism value chain with sustainable and drought-resistant food production in the offering.
- Getting around: The infrastructure committee proposed roadworthy tourism transport, electric bicycles and longer-term transport solutions and suggested Morame could support a network of verified and graded tourism suppliers. The biosphere committee asked for better signage and roads.
- Selling the region: The wildlife and safari committee cited limited destination awareness, funding challenges and fragmented stakeholder efforts and called for stronger branding, technology-enabled marketing and a central booking platform. The accommodation committee listed poor marketing, limited online visibility, crime and safety concerns, service quality and skills gaps as key challenges.
- Events: The sports, adventure and creative committee suggested a Morame Arts Festival to showcase local activities and talent.
Funding and implementation
Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille, who attended the conference, called for clear baselines, targets, responsibilities, budgets and deadlines to ensure the proposals translate into measurable outcomes.
“The funding will have to be raised for these projects,” said Geraldine Engelman, CEO of the Morame Regional Tourism Organisation.
Engelman said progress will be reviewed at the next Morame Regional Tourism Conference in October 2027.
