South Africa is looking to put its food, cultural heritage and hospitality at the centre of its tourism offering, with gastronomy emerging as an opportunity to attract visitors and encourage them to explore more of the country.
South African Tourism is engaging with chefs, restaurateurs, food producers and tourism industry leaders at the Gastronomy Africa Conference & Expo in uMhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal, which concludes on Tuesday, October 20.
Formerly known as the SA Chef Conference & Expo, the event has grown into a pan-African platform examining the business of food, including culinary heritage, indigenous ingredients, responsible sourcing, skills development and gastronomy tourism.
For South African Tourism, the focus is on turning the country’s food offering into an experience that visitors actively seek out, rather than something that simply complements their holiday.
South Africa’s food tourism potential
Research by Data Appeal, analysing more than 1.3 million reviews from international travellers between September 2025 and September 2026, found that South Africa’s food and beverage sector recorded an overall sentiment score of 90.7 out of 100.
Sithembile Ndaba, chief marketing officer at South African Tourism, said the findings highlighted an opportunity to build on positive visitor experiences and develop a stronger commercial offering around food tourism.
“The data tells us that food is already performing as a meaningful part of the South African visitor experience. Our opportunity now is to be much more deliberate about turning that strength into a tourism proposition that can be packaged, marketed and sold,” Ndaba said.
She added that the appeal extended beyond what visitors ate to the hospitality and personal interactions they experienced.
“What is particularly significant is that the strongest part of the story is not only what visitors are eating, but how they are being welcomed. South Africa’s people are part of the product.”
Ndaba said every interaction in a restaurant presented an opportunity to reinforce the warmth, authenticity and sense of place the country wanted international visitors to associate with South Africa.
From township food to wine routes
Gastronomy tourism offers travellers another way to discover South Africa’s diverse destinations, traditions and communities.
Experiences can range from traditional cuisine and township food tours to local markets, wine routes and contemporary African restaurants. When included more deliberately in travel itineraries, these experiences can encourage visitors to explore beyond established attractions, spend time in more communities and support local businesses.
For tour operators, destination management companies, accommodation providers and itinerary planners, the opportunity lies in developing food-led experiences that can be incorporated into travel packages and marketed to international visitors.
This could also create opportunities for chefs, restaurants, food producers and tourism entrepreneurs to reach new customers and connect with international trade partners.
National framework supports gastronomy tourism
South African Tourism’s engagement at the conference aligns with the Department of Tourism’s 2023 National Gastronomy Tourism Framework, which provides a basis for developing gastronomy tourism in South Africa.
The organisation says its work with the sector aims to identify the support needed to improve visitor experiences, strengthen the market readiness of tourism offerings and help local businesses compete internationally.
The broader objective is to connect South Africa’s food industry more closely with the tourism economy, creating opportunities for businesses while encouraging travellers to engage more deeply with the country’s cultures and communities.
Through its Come Find Your Joy brand campaign, South African Tourism invites international visitors to experience the country through its flavours, stories and destinations.
As the Gastronomy Africa Conference & Expo concludes in uMhlanga, the message is that food can be more than a memorable part of a holiday. It can also be a reason to choose South Africa, discover new places and return for more.
seanne.rall@iol.co.za
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