South African tourism is going where no other African country has gone before – the stars.
On Friday 27 September 2024, Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille officially launched South Africa’s National Astro Tourism Strategy in Carnarvon, adding that it was a first for the continent.
Carnavon – a village in the Karoo in Northern Cape, South Africa’s least populous province – is the site of what is to become the largest radio telescope in the world – the Square Kilometre Array, known colloquially as SKA.
The Daily Sun reported that the Astro Tourism Strategy aims to position South Africa, especially the Northern Cape, as a destination for stargazers and space enthusiasts.
“The Astro Tourism Strategy also aims to enhance the synergy between humans and conservation and a creative link between our origins of life on earth and the origins of the universe,” De Lille said.
“We want to use the SKA and Astro Tourism as a catalyst to develop the Karoo and provide opportunities for rural tourism as well as agri-tourism to develop rural areas further. The Northern Cape is the prime location to launch this strategy as 50% of the world’s population cannot see the beauty of the night sky, but the African sky still remains at an advantage, by having the clearest and darkest night sky,” she said.
Minister @PatriciaDeLille Deputy Minister @Maggie_Sotyu visited the Square Kilometre Array outside Carnarvon, NC as part of the National Astro-Tourism Strategy opening for public comment from 27 Sept to 27 Oct 2024.#tourismmonth2024#experiencethenorthencape#astrotourism pic.twitter.com/SlxcTi8fG5
— Dept of Tourism (@Tourism_gov_za) September 27, 2024
The National Astro-Tourism Strategy is open for comment until 27 October.
“There is so much untapped potential in our tourism market and we must work together on all levels of government, with the private to promote our hidden gems and give more business to SMEs and community tourism,” De Lillie said.
ENCA reported that an estimated 1.4 million visited the Northern Cape last year. The province’s biggest tourist attractions include the Big Hole in Kimberley (the site of South Africa’s first diamond rush), the Namakwa flowers and the Kalahari.
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