As South Africa’s unemployment rate continues to soar, reaching an alarming 32.9% in the first quarter of 2024, the tourism industry is stepping up to bridge the gap by addressing the skills deficit and creating pathways for youth and underserved communities.
SATSA, in partnership with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and e-learning platform Atingi, recently launched the Bridging the Digital Divide (BDD) initiative – a capacity-building programme designed to upskill individuals and create pathways into the tourism industry.
“Tourism holds immense potential to drive economic growth and create employment opportunities, but we’ve struggled to attract and retain skilled youth,” says Phakamile Hlazo, Founder of Zulu Nomad and AID (Access, Inclusivity & Diversity) Chairperson at SATSA. “The tourism value chain is vast, offering a diverse range of careers, yet our young people often lack access to the necessary training and resources.”
The…
