The capital city is shedding its winter look to welcome visitors and tourists to Tshwane for the new season. The city's events calendar is jampacked for September 2026, with exciting events and things to do for young and old.
In celebration of Tourism Month, major events will be showcased across Tshwane in September. These include the UNESCO World Heritage plaque being unveiled at the Union Buildings by President Cyril Ramaphosa on 8 September and the Sasol New Signatures art competition which runs from 4 September to 2 November. From 16 to 20 September, the skies will vibrate with aircraft during the Africa Aerospace and Defence Expo.
A webinar on the future of tourism in the digital era is also scheduled for 30 September in line with World Tourism Day on 27 September, with the theme of Growing South Africa's tourism sector in the digital era .
Ald Sarah Mabotsa, the MMC for Economic Development and Spatial Planning, said that "in an increasingly digital world, destination travellers search, plan, share and experience their journeys on digital platforms. These new and emerging technologies give us new opportunities to tell the Tshwane story, to connect our tourism businesses with markets and to make it easier for visitors to discover more of what our city has to offer."
Ald Mabotsa also encouraged residents to become ambassadors for Tshwane by exploring attractions beyond its well-known landmarks. She called on people to visit nature reserves, museums and art galleries, support local tourism businesses, explore township experiences, attend events, visit markets and enjoy sport activities.
Tourism is an important contributor to economic development because it creates opportunities for entrepreneurs, supports local businesses and contributes to job creation. The City is using its Discover Tshwane digital platform to promote attractions, heritage sites, nature reserves, cultural experiences and events.
The Tshwane Tourism Strategy and Masterplan aims to increase domestic tourists from 2,6 million to 3,2 million visitors annually by 2030, while international tourists are targeted to grow from 800 000 to 1,2 million. The City expects the increased number of visitors to contribute almost R10 billion in additional annual spending and support more than 100 000 new direct and indirect tourism jobs.