Three Provinces, One Destination: Historic Tri-Province Launch Opens Tourism Month at Lake Gariep

September is Tourism Month, and this year it opened with a South African first: the Northern Cape, Free State and Eastern Cape joined forces for the inaugural Tri-Province Tourism Month media launch, held at the Chargo River Lodge in Colesberg under the 2026 theme “Growing South Africa’s Tourism Sector in the Digital Era”.

At the heart of the collaboration is Lake Gariep — South Africa’s largest reservoir and a natural wonder shared by all three provinces.

Breaking Boundaries for Travellers

“This pioneering collaboration positions the three provinces as one seamless tourism region, centred on the breathtaking Lake Gariep,” the Northern Cape Economic Development, Trade and Investment Promotion Agency said in a statement carried by SAnews. “By breaking provincial boundaries, the initiative invites domestic travellers to experience connected journeys of culture, heritage, adventure, stargazing, and wildlife across all three destinations.”

With industry stakeholders on board, the campaign promises fresh itineraries designed to encourage longer stays and greater local spend — good news for the small towns and communities along the way.

Signed, Sealed, Connected

The launch was officially opened by three MECs — Nonkqubela Ntomboxolo Pieters of the Eastern Cape, Venus Blennies Magage of the Northern Cape and Ketso Makume of the Free State. A memorandum of understanding was signed by the chief executives of the three provincial tourism authorities: Shawn Modise (Northern Cape), Obakeng Seseane (Free State) and Nokulunga Mnqeta (Eastern Cape).

Modise hailed the initiative as “a historic moment for rural tourism growth in South Africa”, urging tour operators and the travel trade to package joint itineraries that inspire travel across provincial lines.

Tourism for the Digital Era

True to this year’s theme, the collaboration embraces digital innovation — integrating artificial intelligence, social media storytelling and immersive visitor experiences to position the three provinces as a modern, competitive and sustainable destination.

Tourism Month, celebrated every September, encourages South Africans to explore their own country affordably and authentically. This year’s flagship collaboration invites visitors to “find their joy” across three provinces — creating lasting memories while supporting local communities, from the shores of Lake Gariep to the stars of the Karoo sky.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org