Visit Stellenbosch, in partnership with the Stellenbosch Improvement and Transformation Initiative (SITI) SRA NPC, has expanded its Tourism Assistants Programme aimed at developing local youth to support the town’s visitor experience.
A total of 10 trainees completed their training on October 23 at the Bergzicht Training Centre and now serve as tourism assistants in Stellenbosch. The initiative focuses on job creation, community engagement and improving visitor safety, positioning participants as on-the-ground ambassadors for the town.
“Sustainable tourism starts with people,” said Annemie Liebenberg, CEO of Visit Stellenbosch. “Through the Tourism Assistants Programme, we are investing in our youth while simultaneously elevating the quality of the visitor journey. This project embodies our commitment to regenerative tourism – tourism that leaves communities stronger, more skilled and more connected than before.”
The project supports Stellenbosch’s broader strategies for employment, safety and public-private collaboration. “Through projects like the Tourism Assistants Programme, SITI is proving that impact-driven innovation doesn’t only belong in boardrooms, it belongs on our streets, in our communities and in our people,” said Marinus Louw, Project Lead at SITI. “This is a practical step towards regenerating Stellenbosch’s tourism economy from the ground up.”
The first cohort of tourism assistants is now active in Stellenbosch, supporting safer, more informative and more engaging visitor interactions.
