The South African Township and Village Tourism Organisation (SATOVITO) will host the second edition of the Township and Village Tourism Expo from March 6-7 at the City of Tshwane’s Giant Stadium in Soshanguve. Organisers are positioning the event as a market-access and market-readiness platform for township and village tourism businesses and a contracting opportunity for tour operators.
The theme of the expo will be “1 000 Ways to Experience Townships and Villages”. It is designed to translate into practical, sellable products that tour operators can package and distribute.
Speaking to Tourism Update, Thato Mothopeng, SATOVITO National Coordinator, said the theme is activated through a dual model of digital distribution and face-to-face trade engagement.
The expo partners with digital booking and distribution platforms, such as SA Tourism’s Shotleft, providing access to township and village tourism products packaged and sold instantly via mobile devices. This enables operators to integrate accommodation, food, cultural activities, guided tours, creative industries and lifestyle offerings into market-ready packages.
In parallel, the expo functions as a physical marketplace where operators engage directly with township and village tourism businesses.
“This face-to-face interaction builds trust, clarifies product quality and capacity and enables operators to understand the people behind the products, which is critical for authentic storytelling, reliable delivery and long-term partnerships,” said Mothopeng.
Market-readiness platform
SATOVITO repositioned the expo as a market-readiness platform in response to the needs of SMMEs in townships, villages and small “dorpies”, which often lack access to systems, information and trade channels, Mothopeng added.
To address this, the first day of the expo is dedicated to practical, targeted workshops focused on preparing businesses for the tourism market including:
- Product packaging and pricing for trade and consumer markets
- Customer care and service excellence
- Operational standards and consistency
- Compliance and basic business requirements expected by tour operators
SATOVITO is working with public and industry institutions, including the Department of Tourism, to provide businesses with support on tourism incentive programmes, enterprise and supplier development, financing opportunities and national and international market access programmes facilitated by SA Tourism.
Beyond the expo, SATOVITO’s 2026 programme will focus on customer experience, quality improvement and the packaging of new tourism products and destinations to ensure businesses can deliver, sustain partnerships and scale.
“Through this approach, the expo functions as a filter, accelerator and bridge helping tour operators engage with products that are increasingly market-ready, professionally presented and aligned with industry expectations,” said Mothopeng.
Tourism Growth Plan alignment
Mothopeng said the expo supports the Tourism Growth Plan by enabling operators to expand itineraries beyond traditional tourism hubs and unlock new geographic and experiential value across townships, villages and small towns.
“Expanding the value chain increases product diversity, strengthens destination competitiveness and creates room for innovation across accommodation, food, culture, heritage, lifestyle and creative tourism experiences,” said Mothopeng.
By showcasing market-ready products from non-traditional destinations, the expo supports tour operators in:
- Diversifying itineraries beyond established routes such as Cape Town and the Kruger National Park
- Responding to repeat travellers seeking new, authentic and immersive experiences
- Reaching new market segments as demand shifts towards community-based and experience-led tourism
For operators, the expo is designed to deliver immediate commercial outcomes.
“Tour operators attending the expo can expect immediate, market-ready outcomes in the form of new tourism circuits, authentic experiences and reliable partnerships that can be taken to market straight after the event,” said Mothopeng.
The expo is positioned as a “cultural tasting dish” for operators gathering township and village tourism businesses across multiple provinces in a single curated platform, he added.
Through this, operators gain access to:
- New township and village circuits that extend existing itineraries
- Cultural, lifestyle, heritage, food, creative and community-based experiences
- On-the-ground partnerships with local tourism practitioners delivering safe, credible and authentic experiences
SATOVITO said these experiences are rooted in local knowledge, operationally practical and suitable for FIT and group travel markets, allowing operators to integrate them into existing programmes while responding to changing global travel demand.
