In a region with a diversity of culture, food and adventure to offer, 17 would-be culture and adventure tourist guides are being trained thanks to a new public-private tourism training initiative.
The programme aims to address a shortage of professional tourist guides in Stellenbosch, while creating direct employment opportunities in one of the town’s fastest-growing economic sectors.
In part sponsored by Stellenbosch winery Kleine Zalze, the provincial Department of Economic Development and Tourism’s (DEDAT) Stellenbosch Tourist Guide Training Project was initiated in January.
The sector-led programme is designed to prioritise real-world skills, employability and integration into the local tourism economy. It was initiated after local tourism body Visit Stellenbosch flagged a lack of competent, job-ready tourist guides as a growing constraint on the town’s expanding visitor experience sector.
Raino Bolz, experience director at Visit Stellenbosh, said the Stellenbosch’s tourism offering is growing, but professionally trained guides are essential if that growth is to be sustainable.
“It became clear that the issue was not only a shortage of guides, but that many existing guides were not immediately employable,” he explained.
The need was raised at board level and led to Cause Development Agency, Visit Stellenbosch’s regenerative tourism service provider, being tasked with designing a solution that went beyond conventional guide training.
Nicolette Booyens, managing director of Cause Development Agency, said the resulting programme was custom-built to overcome common challenges in tourist guide training, including low completion rates and limited practical exposure.
“This is not about ticking boxes,” Booyens said. “The focus is on producing competent, confident guides who are work-ready on graduation.”
The programme incorporates Work Integrated Learning (WIL) placements with Visit Stellenbosch member organisations, comprehensive learner support, academic and wellness assistance and daily stipends to remove financial barriers to participation.
The project is enabled and funded by DEDAT and co-funded by Kleine Zalze Wines, which made a donation towards the initiative in 2024.
Kleine Zalze Wines general manager Carina Gous said the project reflects a collaborative, impact-driven approach to skills development.
“Together with the local wine industry, tourism is the lifeblood of Stellenbosch and there is a continued drive to ensure Stellenbosch provides the ultimate tourist experience,” she said.
“The DEDAT Stellenbosch Tourist Guide Training Project will ensure a new generation of skilled guides able to offer local and international visitors an immersive experience into Stellenbosch’s cultural and adventure offerings.
“As one of Stellenbosch’s oldest and most renowned wineries, as well as being a major destination for wine tourism, Kleine Zalze deems it a responsibility to support dynamic new initiatives bolstering Stellenbosch’s tourist offering and underscoring our status as one of the most desirable destinations in South Africa.”
The programme attracted significant interest, with 407 applications received during an open recruitment drive. After a two-stage, sector-led selection process, 17 learners were chosen: seven culture tourist guides and 10 adventure tourist guides.
Training began last month and includes formal NQF Level 4 qualifications, first-aid certification, practical training and up to 20 days of work placement, depending on specialisation.
Graduation is scheduled for later this month.
Most learners are already linked to prospective employers, with remaining graduates expected to be absorbed into the Visit Stellenbosch experience sector on a freelance basis shortly after qualification.
Visit Stellenbosch CEO Annemie Liebenberg added: “We look forward to introducing a new generation of skilled tourism guides into the Stellenbosch region who are not only unleashing their own potential in terms of their professional growth, but who will also provide visitors to Stellenbosch with an immersive and engaging experience that is truly – as everything Stellenbosch offers – world-class.”
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