Private sector forms steering committee to boost SADC tourism

Private sector tourism leaders across Southern Africa have established a new steering committee to address barriers holding back regional tourism growth and improve coordination across borders.

Source: Supplied

With intra-regional tourism accounting for less than 25% of arrivals and air connectivity remaining limited, the committee will lead efforts to unlock the region’s tourism potential.

New governance for regional tourism

The SADC Tourism Alliance, formed in 2022, acts as a unified private sector voice for tourism across all 16 SADC member states. It brings together national tourism associations and businesses to promote regional collaboration beyond political and national constraints.

Operating independently while engaging with the SADC Secretariat, the Alliance provides technical leadership and coordination to strengthen Southern Africa’s position as a connected tourism destination.

Steering committee appointments

The newly elected committee will oversee the Alliance’s mission over the next three years. Members include:

• Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa (Chair), CEO, Tourism Business Council of South Africa
• Tojo Lytah Razafimahefa (Deputy Chair), President, CTM Madagascar
• Memory Momba Kamthunzi, executive director, Malawi Tourism Council
• Ally Karaerua, Chair, FENATA, Namibia
• Paul Matamisa, CEO, Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe
• Nasser Zauria Usta, representative of Cotur – Travel Management Worldwide, Mozambique

"Each of us faces national challenges – whether it's airlift in Malawi, skills development in Namibia, or infrastructure in Madagascar. But we've learnt that a tourist doesn't see borders the way we do," Tshivhengwa said.

"When we work together, we can unlock investment, create jobs, and protect our natural heritage at a scale that none of us can achieve alone. That's not just good business – it's essential for the communities who depend on tourism across our region."

Priority focus areas

The Alliance has identified three critical priorities to guide its work:

• Unlocking regional access
• Strengthening regional reputation
• Ensuring institutional sustainability

Support and funding

The SADC Tourism Alliance’s formation and activities are supported by the Joint Action NatureAfrica / Climate Resilience and Natural Resource Management (C-NRM) Programme, co-funded by the European Union and the German Government and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.