With the festive season approaching, many South Africans are planning their holidays, getting ready to travel to beaches, mountains, winelands and wildlife attractions. Holiday hotspots around the country are eagerly anticipating an annual influx of visitors, to boost businesses and local economies. Working behind the scenes is a group of professionals whose contribution to festive season joy is rarely acknowledged, but who are, effectively, the architects of most memorable vacations and successful tourist destinations: South Africa’s municipal engineers.

This year, the Institute of Municipal Engineering of Southern Africa (IMESA), has highlighted the role of its members in creating the infrastructure that makes holidaymakers want to visit popular tourist destinations and the roads that get them there safely. “Behind every thriving tourist destination lies a fact that is often overlooked: the success of tourism depends as much on engineering as it does on marketing,” IMESA contends.

“Behind that bustling beachfront restaurant strip, walkable promenade and well-lit, picturesque public space, there are municipal engineers. Our profession influences the fortunes of all South African visitor economies. The reality is that the first impression of any destination is not a landmark or a postcard view, it is the road into town and from the airport, the reliability of the water supply and the appearance and functionality of public spaces. Well-designed infrastructure sets the tone for a visitor’s entire experience.

“Failing infrastructure can quickly undermine even the most picture-perfect destination,” IMESA states. “Flooded streets, power outages or unsafe walkways tell visitors that a town or city’s systems are under strain. Municipal engineers, often working far from the spotlight, strive to ensure that these invisible systems run seamlessly. In doing so, they make destinations more appealing, resilient, competitive and memorable.”

Municipal engineers play a pivotal role in making public spaces accessible, vital and enjoyable. Their hands are present in walkable promenades and parks, thriving outdoor dining areas and efficient roads that enable visitors to explore with ease.

Municipal engineers are responsible for the wastewater and stormwater systems that protect our beaches. “So, when looking for a Blue Flag beach to visit this December, consider the engineers behind that Blue Flag,” IMESA says.

The festive season is one of the busiest travel periods of the year. Ensuring road safety is not just a matter of law enforcement, it begins with engineering, the organisation stresses. “Municipal engineers help safeguard the lives of travellers by maintaining road surfaces to reduce accidents caused by potholes and uneven surfaces, designing safer intersections, pedestrian crossings and traffic-calming measures. They manage traffic flow through intelligent signals and layouts that alleviate congestion. They are responsible for improving signage and visibility, especially along major holiday routes.

“These seemingly routine tasks are anything but ordinary,” IMESA asserts. “Municipal engineers often perform their critical work under demanding conditions - amid limited resources, aging infrastructure, climate pressures and increasing urbanisation. Their contribution is not just technical; it is about human experience. And tourism is not just about what people come to see; it is about how they experience it. That experience begins with infrastructure, including clean water, safe roads, welcoming streets and resilient systems.”

With 2026 on the horizon, IMESA invites policymakers, planners and tourism leaders to bring municipal engineers to the table early in every conversation about destination development. “Because every successful tourist destination is, in essence, a story of infrastructure engineering done right.

“As you plan and enjoy your festive season holiday, remember the municipal engineer who has made it possible.” The institute encourages all South Africans to recognise the good work where they see it by commenting on social media and using the hashtag #IMESAseesU.