This Tourism Month, the Western Cape is inviting residents and visitors to discover the beauty, stories, flavours and people of the Piketberg region through the newly launched Green Piketberg Route 366 – a regenerative tourism route designed to connect travellers with local communities, agriculture, heritage, food and nature.
Launched in Goedverwacht on Wednesday, Route 366 winds its way through Goedverwacht, Piketberg, Wittewater and Redelinghuys, bringing together a collection of community-based tourism experiences that offer visitors an opportunity to see the region through the eyes of the people who call it home.
The launch marked the beginning of a month-long celebration of tourism in the province under the themes #SpringIntoAction and #ForTheLoveOfTravel.
For visitors, the route offers more than a scenic escape. It is an invitation to slow down, taste locally produced food, hear community stories, discover traditional baking and experience the landscapes and heritage that give this part of the Western Cape its distinctive character.
At the heart of the route is an approach to tourism that seeks to ensure that the benefits of travel reach the communities, small businesses and producers that make destinations special.
Western Cape MEC for Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism Dr Ivan Meyer said the route represents the future of tourism in the province.
“Tourism Month is an opportunity to showcase how tourism can create shared value for our communities, our environment and our economy. The launch of Green Piketberg Route 366 demonstrates that tourism growth does not have to come at the expense of local people or natural resources.
“By supporting regenerative tourism, we are building destinations that are authentic, sustainable and inclusive, while creating opportunities for small businesses, farmers and communities to benefit directly from visitor spending,” Meyer said.
Tourism remains one of the province’s most powerful economic sectors.
In 2023, tourism contributed an estimated R28.6 billion in Gross Value Added (GVA) to the provincial economy and supported more than 257 987 jobs across sectors including hospitality, guiding, agriculture, transport, culture and the creative industries.
Meyer encouraged residents to make the most of Tourism Month by exploring the province, while supporting local tourism enterprises.
“Every trip within the Western Cape creates an opportunity for growth for our communities, our small businesses and for the families who depend on tourism for their livelihoods. By travelling responsibly and with purpose, residents can support jobs, stimulate local economies and help preserve the heritage, culture and biodiversity that make our province unique,” he said.
Route 366 also reflects the 2026 international tourism theme: “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism”, by highlighting how digital innovation can help rural destinations, small producers and community-based tourism offerings reach new markets and create sustainable economic opportunities.
Along the route, local entrepreneurs and producers take centre stage, with experiences ranging from community gardens and farm-to-table offerings to artisanal food production and cultural heritage attractions.
It is a model of regenerative tourism in which visitors do more than simply pass through a destination; their presence can help strengthen the communities they visit and contribute to the protection of the natural resources that sustain them.
Throughout September, residents and visitors are encouraged to “Spring Into Action” by travelling locally, supporting tourism businesses, attending festivals and events, and exploring the diverse attractions across the Western Cape.
Tourism Month will culminate in celebrations around World Tourism Day on 27 September, highlighting tourism’s contribution to economic growth, job creation and social development.
As Meyer put it: “We live from the land, and we give back to the land.” –SAnews.gov.za
Source: Original report at SAnews.gov.za.
