Visitors urged to explore, experience and enjoy Joburg in 72 hours

"Given the time and budget constraints of modern life, this '72 hours' tagline is intended to communicate why visitors need to spend more time in Africa's most vibrant and exciting metropolis to best discover its fascinating, complex and colourful appeal," explained Tshidi Mlaba, deputy director, Destination Marketing.

While the majority of visitors to Joburg arrive for business reasons or events, ever-increasing numbers are staying to sample and experience the city's fascinatingly diverse, urban tourism and lifestyle scene. However, given the competitive nature of global economics, the challenge remains to grow visitor numbers continually, while increasing the length of stay, spend and the spread of tourists throughout the city.

Phenomenal tourism growth

During the past 20 years Joburg has experienced phenomenal tourism growth in areas like Vilakazi Street in Soweto, the Maboneng and Braamfontein Precincts. All this creative development has added enormously to Joburg's colourful heritage and cultural vibrancy, which is fascinating in its complexity. Added to this are massive infrastructural advances like the Rea Vaya and Gautrain, which are facilitating new and exciting ways for both locals and visitors to explore and experience the city.

While the Joburg Tourism team is utilising its Indaba platforms to promote the city's multi-faceted urban tourism appeal, it will also be sharing the city's spatial development plans, which are set to impact positively on the city's booming tourism industry.

Dubbed "Corridors of Freedom", this spatial development vision [in line with the City's Growth and Development Strategy, GDS 2040)] was unveiled by the Executive Mayor, Cllr Mpho Parks Tau during his 2013 State of the City Address.

Transit-oriented development initiative

This massive transit-oriented development (TOD) initiative to redefine, redesign and re-stitch the city is creating a new future in which residents live closer to their workplaces, and "work, stay and play" in the same place without have to travel long distances. The shape of the future city involves the creation of well-planned transport arteries - or Corridors of Freedom - linked to interchanges where the focus is on mixed-use development - high-density accommodation supported by office buildings, retail development and opportunities for leisure and recreation.

"This bodes well for the development of the tourism industry across the seven regions of Joburg, facilitating viable economic development across all sectors, including tourism," explained Mlaba. "The Corridors of Freedom bring opportunities to increase the tourism footprint throughout Joburg, opening up previously marginalised nodal pockets, creating employment, SMME development and stimulating a vibrant second economy. Accommodation, hospitality and a host of support services along the entire tourism value chain are set to benefit. It's a case of exciting times ahead for Joburg."

For more, go to www.joburgtourism.com or www.joburg.org.za.