South Africa’s Tourism Minister backs F1 plans
South African Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille has expressed support for bringing Formula One racing to the country, stating it would benefit the tourism sector. Speaking at a recent media briefing, de Lille revealed she had met with Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie to discuss plans for hosting F1 events, which have been in the works for 15 years.
The ministers also addressed restoration of heritage sites, with over 200 across South Africa. De Lille emphasised the need to implement existing plans, highlighting tourism as a key economic sector. The National Development Plan aims to increase tourist arrivals to 15 million by 2030.
The Department of Tourism is investing in infrastructure development, having spent £4 million on 25 maintenance projects last year. This year, £3.4 million is earmarked for projects in four provinces.
Tourism employed 1.46 million people in 2024, with projections of 1.7 million by year-end and 2.23 million by 2030. De Lille stressed the importance of moving from planning to implementation to address challenges facing South Africans and boost the tourism industry.
Source: The Citizen
