Tourism Breaking News
South African Tourism continues its multi-city trade engagement in India with the 11ᵗʰ edition of its Learn South Africa workshop held in Pune, focusing on strengthening destination knowledge and partner readiness in a growing tier-2 source market.
South African Tourism hosts the 11ᵗʰ edition of its Learn South Africa workshop in Pune on 12 December 2025, engaging more than 85 travel trade partners. The workshop forms part of a multi-city series aimed at equipping agents with deeper insights into South Africa’s tourism offerings, including regions beyond Cape Town and Johannesburg.
The series resumes in Kolkata on 16 January 2026 and concludes in Lucknow on 27 February 2026.
Gcobani Mancotywa, Regional General Manager – Asia, Australasia and the Middle East, South African Tourism, says: “Pune is emerging as a high-potential source market for South African Tourism, supported by a strong base of young professionals, well-travelled families, and a growing corporate and MICE segment driven by the city’s IT, manufacturing, and education hubs. Travellers from Pune are increasingly drawn to immersive experiences such as wildlife safaris, scenic road trips, adventure activities, wine routes, and culturally rich city stays, all of which South Africa offers in abundance.
To capitalise on this evolving demand, we remain focused on strengthening partnerships with travel agents in key emerging markets like Pune, equipping them with deeper destination knowledge and planning capabilities.”
Focus on lesser-explored regions
The Pune workshop highlights South Africa’s diverse tourism experiences, including cultural routes, adventure offerings and emerging regions. The sessions are designed to support travel partners in creating customised and immersive itineraries aligned with evolving traveller preferences.
Tier-2 cities remain central to outreach
India remains a key source market for South Africa, with cities such as Pune contributing to outbound growth across leisure and MICE travel. The Learn South Africa initiative continues to support trade engagement, address market-specific requirements and strengthen South Africa’s positioning as a preferred destination.
