Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille and search engine and Internet services multinational Google have signed a collaboration agreement to support the use of digital tools to enhance tourism experiences and sustainability, and to facilitate knowledge sharing and skills development.

“The primary goal of this collaboration is to harness Google's technological expertise to support the Department's efforts in promoting South Africa as a prime tourist destination,” said De Lille.

The partnership is in line with the mission to grow tourism to its full potential, unlock the power of technology in the sector and increase arrivals to South Africa to support economic growth and job creation.

Google can provide insights into global travel trends. This information can guide the Department of Tourism (DoT) and South African Tourism’s strategies for targeting specific markets and tailoring experiences to visitor expectations.

Google can showcase South African tourism sites and unique cultural heritage to the world through the Google Arts and Culture Portal. This is already being done through a close partnership with the DoT, but more information will be shared on unique travel sites and hidden gems like South Africa’s little townships, villages and dorpies, De Lille said.

To enhance digitalisation of South Africa’s tourism offerings, Google Art and Culture will work with the DoT to showcase South African tourist sites and cultural heritage to the world by getting more sites online and featuring thematic stories of importance to the department.

Further, specific studies to investigate the impact of digital platforms and online content will also be undertaken by Google and shared at no cost to the department.

Meanwhile, Google offers skills training programmes including the Google Hustle Academy and master classes, and these digital skills initiatives will be extended to provide training programmes for individuals and businesses within the Department's ecosystem.

This will equip local entrepreneurs with the digital skills needed to market their offerings online, potentially attracting a wider audience of travellers. The training will also include the fundamentals of Google Ads.

More than 2 773 South African small, medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) have previously benefited from these support programmes offered by Google.

Tourism startups can also be supported by Google programmes, such as the Startup Accelerator and the Black Founders Fund, De Lille noted.

Further, the partners will collaborate to create a series of tourism thought leadership seminars to present commissioned research results on the opportunity and impact of online content and digital platforms in the tourism sector.

The aim of the seminars will be to facilitate knowledge sharing and understanding of how digital opportunities can accelerate economic growth, as well as upskill governments and tourism promotion agencies with global best practices on how to use digital platforms.

“We are committed to tapping into more technological innovation. Collaborating with a tech leader like Google encourages the Department to adopt innovative solutions for promoting tourism. This can create a forward-looking image for South Africa and its attractions.

“In an era of digital transformation, collaboration between technology giants and government entities has the potential to reshape industries and enhance public services.

“The Tourism Sector Green Paper highlighted a lack of support mechanisms for the tourism sector, particularly SMMEs, to adapt to a digital future and other technological advancements. This partnership between Google and the department focuses on non-monetary exchanges to leverage each party’s strengths for mutual benefits,” said De Lille.

“This strategic partnership sets a precedent for future public-private collaborations. The department remains open to collaborating with other technological partners in a similar fashion to benefit the tourism industry,” she said.

“As a company that prides itself in organising the world’s information and making it universally accessible and useful, we look forward to rolling out various programmes in conjunction with the department to fast-track digital transformation in the sector, helping with digital skills and showcasing South African tourism through our Google Arts and Culture platform,” Google South Africa country director Dr Alistair Mokoena said.