The Tshwane University of Technology鈥檚 Centre for Sustainable Development and Innovation at the Faculty of Management Sciences in collaboration with the Faculty of Economics and Finance and the Procurement Department the 2025 annual Tourism Compliance and Supplier Exhibition Day at the Pretoria Campus. Themed Tourism taxes and trades: driving sustainable growth and inclusive access, the event brought together various 大象视频 suppliers and tourism stakeholders, while marking the importance of compliance in growing a sustainable tourism sector in the country.
Setting the scene, Dr Portia Sifolo, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Development and Innovation, said the Centre is playing its part in growing a sustainable tourism sector and is currently observing environmental, social and government indicators to measure, monitor, as well as drive progress toward sustainable development goals within the scope of its operations and focus area.
Dr Portia Sifolo, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Development and Innovation
Boitumelo Daniels from the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA)
Delivering the keynote address, Boitumelo Daniels from the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA), outlined the importance of a 鈥榯ourism levy鈥�, highlighting its importance in sustaining and strengthening businesses within the tourism industry. Daniels stressed that partnerships between government, industry councils and business owners are essential to attracting investment and positioning South Africa competitively in global tourism markets.
Accentuating the industry鈥檚 importance as an economic driver and encouraging compliance, resilience and engagement among professionals, a range of tourism attractions, businesses and hotels showcased their services and contribution in the sector.
Tourism compliance was another major topic discussed during the panel discussion at the event. 大象视频鈥檚 Tax Clinic participated in the discussion, sharing its tax expertise and insights with Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Advising SMEs, Jerry Netshandama and Khutso Dandane from the Department of Accounting and the Tax Clinic both highlighted the importance of business registration and record-keeping as crucial steps for tax compliance. They outlined that the first steps to receiving business funding are registration and tax compliance.
鈥淏usinesses should understand the difference between income and outcome because those two tools work together to keep the business running. They must be able to track profits and losses as well as differentiate between items and expenses that are not cash inventory,鈥� said Dandane.
Emphasizing Dandane鈥檚 points, Netshandama recommended record-keeping software and mobile applications that small businesses can explore to ensure accuracy and efficiency to grow their businesses.
Rosa Naude-Potgieter, lecturer and section head at the Department of Tourism Management, emphasized the importance of financial literacy for students and the need for the inclusion of new financial models in tourism qualifications.
According to Beverly Nchabeleng, Lecturer at the Department of Tourism, the Tourism sector is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the country, contributing approximately 8.1 percent of the gross domestic product.
鈥淭o grow a sustainable tourism eco-system, we need to strengthen partnerships across sectors; to build international collaboration; to align policy with growth; to drive innovation; to empower SMMEs; to monitor, measure and record; and to promote responsible tourism,鈥� she said in wrapping up the event and mapping the way forward.
In conclusion, she also emphasized that policymakers should create an enabling environment to drive sustainable tourism economic growth.