The Department of Tourism’s three completed community tourism infrastructure projects are facing increasing questions about measuring their success with the Democratic Alliance (DA) and SATSA warning that completed buildings do not guarantee viable tourism businesses.
The concerns follow Tourism Update’s report that upgrades at Nyandeni Chalets in the Eastern Cape, Lehurutse Trophy and Bird Hunting Camp in North West and the Isibhubhu Event Facility in KwaZulu-Natal are complete and await official handover. Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille has not confirmed when the facilities will open to visitors, who will manage them or how they will be marketed.
When asked how the department measures return on investment (ROI) from the projects, De Lille did not provide visitor, occupancy or economic performance measures, saying instead that they should be viewed in terms of public benefit.
Haseena Ismail, Tourism Portfolio Committee member and the DA’s official spokesperson on tourism, told Tourism Update that the absence of any obvious digital presence for the three projects is a serious concern. She argued that the department should support community-owned initiatives with the digital tools needed to attract visitors and secure bookings.
“In today’s world, a tourism-oriented business cannot operate effectively without such digital access. An online presence is essential for any tourism-related business. Even a basic website is crucial for providing essential information and accepting guest bookings. In the digital era, the success of these three projects depends on digital infrastructure.”
Ismail agreed that the Department of Tourism has a role to play in supporting community-owned tourism initiatives but argued that it too often launches projects without a clear plan.
She also criticised the department for celebrating the projects before key questions about their operation were answered and before clear ROI targets were set.
“The minister has prematurely celebrated these projects. Celebration should come only after official handovers are complete, digital access is provided, clear ROI objectives are set and detailed oversight plans are in place to ensure the long-term success of these projects.”
Ismail said measuring success in terms of “public benefit” alone is not sufficient.
“While public benefit and community participation are important, the projects also require specific, measurable tourism performance indicators and other ROI targets. Relying solely on public benefit and community participation as success metrics is too vague.”
She said the DA will push for clearer accountability once the projects are handed over.
“To ensure that these projects genuinely benefit the targeted communities and avoid the need for additional funding, we will ask the minister to define clear ROI objectives for each project.”
SATSA CEO David Frost said the industry welcomes continued investment in tourism infrastructure, particularly where it supports community participation and the diversification of South Africa’s tourism offering. However, he stressed that infrastructure alone will not guarantee success.
“Successful tourism development extends well beyond the completion of physical infrastructure. A tourism asset only begins generating value once it is operational, accessible to the market and able to attract a consistent flow of visitors. That requires a combination of sound management, market access, digital visibility, distribution through the travel trade and ongoing destination marketing,” said Frost.
From an industry perspective, he added, tourism projects deliver their greatest value when infrastructure is complemented by a clear operational model and a defined route to market that enables the private sector to confidently promote and sell the experience.
“Construction is an important milestone but it is only one part of creating a sustainable tourism product,” Frost said.
