About

About NTCE

NTCE was conceived in 2007 and started in 2008 as hosted by KwaZulu Natal Province until 2011
Hosted by one province for successive 3 years to ensure impact as starting small in year 1, grow in year 2 and end in a bang in the final year 3
Rotate among provinces based on bidding process by provinces to host the event
Last 3 years was hosted in Gauteng Province with the NTCE 2021 hosted in 2022 due to the outbreak of COVID- 19.

National Tourism Careers Expo

The time has never been better to explore a career in tourism. The National Tourism Careers Expo (NTCE) is here to help you in this exciting journey. It is an interactive platform showcasing different careers, skills development initiatives and business opportunities in the tourism sector. It is meant to facilitate interactions between high school learners, tertiary students, education and training providers, tourism industry and funding institutions so that information and knowledge can be shared on available education training and diverse career opportunities. The event also showcases available tourism professional opportunities and profiles their importance in the South African and global economies.

The National Tourism Careers Expo (NTCE) was launched in 2008 by the National Department of Tourism. It is a platform aimed at creating awareness about tourism and hospitality sector career opportunities as well as harnessing and developing tourism educators’ skills and competencies.

This expo is a collaboration between The National Department of Tourism in partnership with Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET), Limpopo Tourism Authority (LTA), Culture, Arts, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Sector Education Training Authority (CATHSSETA) and City of Polokwane.

Also taking part in this project is the Department of Basic Education – which is the custodian of the education and training regime in the country.

Activities

Mixology Corner

Cocktails are always a favourite at any restaurant, bar, party, or event. Mixology (the skill of mixing various drinks and ingredients to create cocktails) is a special craft that infuses creativity and flavour to enhance hospitality experiences. The Mixology Corner will bring the art of creating fun, enjoyable drinks to life. From the classics to fun innovations with a Mzansi twist?

Conservation Corner

The urgent need to preserve and rehabilitate our natural environment is highlighted through a few of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, most notably Number 14 – Life below water and Number 15 – Life on land. Nature conservation has a direct impact on the future sustainability of tourism. If you have an interest in nature and tourism, join us at the Conservation Corner to see how you can make an impact.

Hospitality Corner

If tourism were a tree, hospitality would be its roots. The two are inseparable as experience and service are intertwined. Visit the Hospitality Corner to understand the range of careers in this exciting field. From sommeliers to hotel general managers, event managers to casino directors.

Chefs Corner

Food can be linked to culture and gastronomy (the art or science of good eating). It is an important aspect of the tourism and hospitality experience. Those interested in a culinary career will benefit from the Chef’s Corner, hosted by the South African Chefs Association (SACA). Graduates from SACA’s National Youth Chefs Training Programme will demonstrate some technical aspects of the craft and showcase the vibrancy of cooking.

Virtual Classroom & Recruitment Arena

Job candidates and employers meet here. Your place to hear top tips from managers who will give you the edge. They will help to polish your key assets, groom you and give you the most up to date advice. Bring your CV along – you could get guidance on how to make it stand out. You could also meet a future employer here.

Educators’ Seminar

Our Educators Seminar takes place daily with a new line-up each day. This curated schedule brings relevant insights and allows educators to interact with speakers from various institutions, industry bodies and organisations. Click here for the programme.

Competitions

Public speaking & Debating

Tourism was one of the worst affected industries at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though South African Tourism launched the Tourism Sector Recovery Plan in August 2020 as a response strategy, the sector remains under threat and requires large-scale consolidation and innovation to assist in its recovery. Young people have valuable ideas too and Grade 11 learners are invited to share their thoughts on restarting, rejuvenating and recovering the tourism industry. All this in no more than 10-minutes for added pressure.

Soft Furnishing Category

With South Africa’s incredible treasure of artistic talent and inspiration it is only proper that we promote the creation of home-grown soft furnishings. We will get a chance to see what the future holds as each Province is represented by one learner who will sew a cushion that meets the Grade 11 2021 PAT Guidelines’ criteria. On-site on the day of the competition without any input from non-participants. What’s a good product without any marketing? Each learner will be required to give an oral presentation of the production to round off the competition.

Food Preparation Category

This year sees the competition requiring each competing learner to create a 3-layer novelty cake using at least three advanced garnishing methods. With encouragement to use their own initiative and creativity it is bound to be a delicious affair. The next element is the chutney preparation which will see learners having to cook and package their chutneys.

PURSUE CAREERS IN TOURISM

In spite of the tourism sector being hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, its importance cannot be overstated. The Statista website shows that before the pandemic – and even now – South Africa is the second most-visited destination in Africa, with Morocco holding first spot.

Furthermore, it shows that in terms of infrastructure South Africa is way ahead of any other African country – it had the highest number of chain and branded hotels in relation to other selected African countries in 2017. While many may have closed their doors during the pandemic, the infrastructure remains, and this inevitably is a boost for the rebuilding process. So, while jobs in the sector may seem few and far between now, the future holds much promise not just for more jobs, but also more resilient ones to boot.

There is no doubt that in South Africa the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic was devastating. And it is going to take time for the tourism sector to recover fully. But government is determined to aid in its recovery, as evidenced in the South African Tourism Recovery Plan. Government recognises the tourism industry as the largest generator of jobs in South Africa. And as such it is crucial that rebuilding a better and more resilient tourism sector is crucial for South Africa’s overall economic recovery.

Whether people travel for leisure or business, they make use of many tourism-linked services. According to GradJobs “the World Travel & Tourism Council reports that 319 million people are employed in tourism; a figure which accounts for a whopping 10% of all total employment across the world”. Besides direct employment in the sector, there are many service providers involved in making your travel experience enjoyable – from travel agents who help you book flights and accommodation to housekeepers who keep your hotel room spick and span to travel guides who show you around – the list of jobs is endless and growing every year as the sector evolves over time.

Even if a business is not necessarily linked to the industry it can benefit from tourism. Here are a few examples:

Food services
Retail
Artisans – gifts, novelties, curios
Event organisers
Entertainment and cultural experience providers
Transport – bus, plane, train, ship, taxis.

One thing is clear, a healthy tourism industry will ensure a healthier economy and the creation of more jobs in other sectors of that economy.

According to Statista, 16.44 million people visited South Africa in 2018. These people not only visited South Africa – they spent money here. Hence the economy benefited. As the economy strengthened so too did investment and business opportunities.
This, in turn, lead to job creation and overall economic growth. As we move forward after the pandemic, we must remember this and strive to achieve the same in the future.

We must be cognisant of the fact that a healthy tourism sector will attract not only local investment, but international investment too. New businesses may open, and they will take on new employees. Even the informal sector stands to gain (merchants, artisans etc) ensuring they become self-sustainable. So, if you are thinking of a career in tourism here are our top 5 reasons why you should look no further. Remember there is no straight path to the top in this sector. Opportunities abound and are varied. Doing your research is important in mapping out a career trajectory that will make you happy.

Peoples person

Do you enjoy working with people? Are you happy when people thank you for the excellent service you’ve provided? Do you have a passion for your country, city, or town? Do you enjoy meeting and engaging with people of other cultures? If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, this right here is the first reason a career in tourism is for you. And there are many varied roles in the industry with your name on it.

Immersive study

Unlike in most careers that involve a great deal of book learning and studying over some years before you actually get to work, in tourism you often get to practise as you learn. The tourism industry is hands-on and creative. The best way to study is to be a part of the industry from the get-go.

A myriad of opportunities

As we’ve alluded to in the first part of this article, tourism is an extremely broad term – and is getting even broader as we rebuild and reinvent a more sustainable sector. For you this means you have a huge range of jobs to choose from. And there are a myriad gateways into a career in tourism. Consider your talents and skills. Consider what career path best fits those talents and skills. No doubt there is a job for you in the tourism industry.

Tourism covers everything. While desk-based travel agents keep their feet firmly on the ground, cruise ship staff or air cabin crew travel widely. While marketing executives sell a dream, pilots and divers live the dream. The choice is yours.

Evolving and changing

The pandemic has laid bare the urgent need for the tourism to be more adaptable and forward-thinking in order to survive in times of crisis. It’s been a harsh lesson, but stakeholders as well as government are determined to learn from their errors. They are determined to rebuild a robust, more resilient tourism sector that favours evolution, change and adaptation. Service providers are aware that post-pandemic travel will never be the same. The call for large group tours may diminish in favour tours in smaller groups with people travellers know and feel comfortable with. Hotel hygiene standards will play an important role in whether tourists choose to stay there or not. The demand for outdoor, off-the-beaten-track holidays may grow as tourists try to avoid busy, crowded cities. All of this means that traditional jobs in the sector will evolve and change, and new opportunities will be available soon. What better time to join the ride than now?

Flexibility

One of the positives we can take from the COVID-19 pandemic is the fact that work can be flexible and remote. Productivity is not dependent on a person being in an office five days a week from 9 to 5. With an increase in the use of cloud technologies and communications software, businesses have been able to implement remote and flexible working policies for their employees. And now job-seekers list work flexibility as an important priority. A career in tourism offers exactly this. It is a sector that never sleeps – so flexibility is paramount, and employees have more choice in how their working days are structured.

Transferable skills

Tourism about more than just travel. It’s about education, marketing, entertainment, finances and the economy, cultural awareness, history and more. If you find that the industry doesn’t work for you, you won’t have to start from scratch as you embark on a new career. Your knowledge and skills can be transferred to other sectors.

Sustainable practice

Eco-tourism, Agri-tourism and community tourism are the new buzzwords in the tourism sector. And they’re closely linked to a growing concern for our planet and the people living on it. If this is your calling, then working in tourism will allow you to make your mark. There are many opportunities, through your role in the sector, to protect cultural practices, champion wildlife conservation, and implement greener travel processes. Sustainable tourism is crucial element in our recovery plan. Now is the time for you to join the sector to help fuel and facilitate change for a better future.