First ever Joburg Tourism kiosk launched
18 November 2019

A City of Johannesburg Press Statement by the MMC for Economic Development, Cllr Leah Knott

On Thursday,14 November 2019, Joburg Tourism, a directorate within the City of Johannesburg’s Economic Development Department, launched their first ever tourism kiosk in Sandton in partnership with Sandton Central.

This is the first tourism kiosk of its kind and an extension of the City’s Tourism Ambassador Programme, which was launched at the end of May 2019. The City has also been able to garner full buy-in and support from the Sandton central Business community, a public-private partnership that has certainly been to the benefit of the general public.

The Sandton Central Joburg Tourism Ambassador Kiosk, operating at the Sandton Gautrain Station, will employ 12 youth and operate 24 hours a day with security able to use it as a visible policing spot after hours. This particular location is a very important entry-point to Johannesburg for travellers and tourists. The Tourism Ambassador Programme envisages making Johannesburg a safer destination, leading to an increased number of tourists visiting the City for both leisure and business.

The primary role of Tourism Ambassadors is enhancing the dissemination of tourism information in Johannesburg. Secondly, it is to link up in a collaborative manner with JMPD, SAPS, organised citizenry safety structures, tourism associations and Joburg Tourism in order to make Joburg a safer and more accessible place to travel to.

The ambassadors were trained in and educated on tourism information, service excellence, communication and conflict management, by-laws, road safety and community patrolling. As a result, we have placed 60 ambassadors in tourism hotspots right across Johannesburg. Of these, 12 have been allocated to various locations across Sandton.

In terms of Johannesburg’s Growth and Development Strategy [GDS], the Joburg 2040, tourism remains an economic growth imperative on the City’s agenda. This is in line with the prioritisation of increasing the number of visiting tourists and contributing towards the economic growth target of 5% by 2021.

Finally, I would like to thank Barry Van Wyk, the Marketing Chair and Elaine Jack, the Precinct manager, of the Sandton Central Board for making the kiosk a reality.

Cllr Leah Knott
MMC for Economic Development City of Johannesburg

For media queries: Chantelle Fourie-Shawe Media Specialist: Office of the Executive Mayor chantellef@joburg.org.za - 081 546 1014.