South Africa's presidency of the G20 presents a great opportunity to increase our global presence. With B20 business leaders convening in South Africa, a proactive strategy focusing on tourism, trade, and investment will be crucial for meaningful impact.
- The G20 presidency provides South Africa with the opportunity to attract foreign investment, strengthen trade ties, and boost tourism.
- The B20 gathering, in particular, will allow South Africa to showcase its strengths in areas like tourism, renewable energy, innovation, and sustainability
- Actively engaging and using effective marketing strategies will be crucial in turning the benefits of this presidency into lasting, sustainable economic growth.
By Wrenelle Stander
The true measure of South Africa’s G20 presidency won’t just be how smoothly the summit and business meetings run, but the lasting impact it leaves behind. This global platform provides South Africa with a rare chance to expand trade partnerships, attract much-needed foreign direct investment, and boost tourism.
It’s hard not to draw parallels to the game-changing impact of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which not only elevated South Africa’s global standing but also delivered real economic benefits in the subsequent years. With business leaders from G20 countries also gathering in South Africa for the Business 20 (B20), this could be another game-changing moment, paving the way for long-term growth and leaving a meaningful legacy for the country.
Just look at the data. The G20 is a major force in the global economic scene, consisting of 19 nations—many of which are crucial trading partners for South Africa—along with the European Union and, more recently, the African Union. Collectively, this influential group accounts for over two-thirds of the world’s population, more than 75% of global trade, and 85% of global GDP. It has a wide reach and impact, and the opportunities it provides are equally enormous.
To make the most of this moment, it’s vitally important for key stakeholders, industry leaders, and organisations like Wesgro—the tourism, trade, and investment promotion agency for Cape Town and the Western Cape — to come together with a proactive and unified strategy. We need to present South Africa as an irresistible opportunity for investors and visitors alike.
This is precisely what Wesgro hopes to achieve this year. We are proudly South African and on a mission to drive inclusive and sustainable growth, strengthen competitiveness and create jobs. To do this, we are focused on unlocking access to new markets and new buyers, including China, ASEAN member countries, India, Brazil, and the Middle East. This, while we maintain a continued focus on established markets including the EU, USA, UK and the rest of Africa. This major event provides us with a golden opportunity to realise this objective.
It also provides Cape Town and the Western Cape with a platform to share its strong economic story with the many business leaders visiting our region. By demonstrating that we have an aligned economic leadership team, and by working hard to deliver a conducive investment environment, by cutting red tape and rolling out the red carpet for investors, we can put our best foot forward and inspire confidence in our economy.
Tourism
With this major summit drawing global attention, we have a chance to pull high-value visitors, strengthen business travel, and showcase the country’s tourism potential with sustainability in mind. Cape Town and the Western Cape, set to host key B20 engagements, has the perfect mix of natural beauty, rich culture, and state-of-the-art conference venues to host global leaders. But to make the most of this opportunity, we need a bold, coordinated tourism strategy that drives interest and innovation.
This must include removing barriers to travel, so that we can grow market access. I recently joined a delegation of national, provincial and local government, to welcome the first Chinese visitors arriving in South Africa through the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme. This initiative by the national government streamlines visa application processes for group travellers from China and India, making travel to South Africa more accessible. Interventions like these will be critical if we are to fully leverage these major events.
To make the most of it, we need to put South Africa’s one-of-a-kind experiences front and centre—whether it’s the thrill of spotting the Big Five on a safari at the Kruger National Park or the serene beauty of Stellenbosch’s winelands. But it’s not just about the delegates themselves; their international connections are equally important. By working in concert with stakeholders including airlines, hotels, and tour operators, we can tailor travel packages that make it easy for visitors to extend their stay or come back for more, bringing in more tourism revenue along the way.
Trade and investment
Hosting the B20 Summit is also a valuable opportunity to expand trade, draw in investment, and strengthen the country’s position as a gateway to Africa’s growing markets, particularly through the AfCFTA.
The B20 launch event in Cape Town will be a key moment, bringing business leaders and policymakers together to turn ideas into real-world opportunities that extend far beyond the event. With hundreds of business representatives from member countries, the B20 is a powerful forum. It provides policy recommendations, developed by task forces that collaborate throughout the presidency. This platform allows businesses to shape the global economic agenda with a focus on addressing critical trade and investment challenges.
The B20 South Africa theme, “Inclusive Growth and Prosperity through Global Cooperation,” will guide its key priorities: employment and education, trade and investment, energy transition, digital transformation, integrity and compliance, finance and infrastructure, sustainable food systems, and industrial transformation and innovation. This presents a rare opportunity for businesses to engage with global decision-makers, drive policy conversations, and shape the economic landscape for years to come.
For Wesgro, it will present an opportunity to focus on our strategic objective of attracting facilitating and prioritising new investment into identified export priority areas, namely, the Green Economy, Life Sciences & Health; Logistics; Food and Beverages; Green Manufacturing; and Services. By being proactive, focused, and data-led, we will look to intersect new investment opportunities that are created through these gatherings.
Agencies like Wesgro are well-positioned to support these efforts by providing linkages, creating economic confidence, and by sharing market intelligence. History shows that a coordinated approach—supported by strategic marketing, strong partnerships, and sustained diplomacy—can deliver lasting benefits. If we play our cards right, the G20 presidency, and the B20 Summit which accompanies it, won’t just bring short-term wins—it will lay the foundation for long-term growth and stronger partnerships. The world will be watching, and it’s up to us to make the most of this moment.
Stander is CEO of Wesgro, the official tourism, trade and investment promotion agency for Cape Town and the Western Cape.
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*This article was first published by BusinessLive