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Tourism
in SA Part 1
of 2
You can be a tourist in your
own backyard by visiting
these exciting places in
our country
ABOVE and LEFT: The Cradle of
Humankind has an informative
visitors’ centre. BELOW: You can
also visit the Sterkfontein Caves
where many fossils have been
found. GAUTENG
Although Gauteng is South Africa’s small-
est province, it’s the “wealthiest” because
it’s the economic hub of the country.
There are many interesting places to
visit, but top of the list should probably
EING a tourist be the Cradle of Humankind. It’s near
is an enjoya- Johannesburg and forms part of a Unesco
ble and en- World Heritage Site along with the Taung
riching expe- Skull Fossil Site in North West and the
B rience – and Makapan Valley in Limpopo.
It’s called the Cradle of Humankind
it’s good for a country’s because many fossils and tools of mod-
economy too. As a tour- ern humans’ earliest ancestors (homi-
ist, you’ll get to visit nids) have been found here. Some of the
places and see things fossils discovered here date back more
you’ve possibly only than three million years.
heard of or read about. VISITORS FROM The Sterkfontein Caves are perhaps
South Africa is a popular tourism es- ALL OVER THE GLOBE the best-known excavation site as about
tination, bringing millions of visitors a third of all early hominid fossils in the
from around the world to our country StatisticsSouthAfrica’sfiguresforNovem- world have come from here. Swartkrans
Cave and Bolt’s Farm have also proved
every year. It’s estimated that about ber 2019 show that of the 850 537 visitors rich in fossil remains. Tourists can visit
17,3 million tourists will visit SA this to SA most were from the rest of Africa: the caves and see the exhibitions at the
601 655 (70%). From overseas (247 136)
year, according to statista.com. most came from Europe – 164 704 (66,6%). Maropeng Visitor Centre.
This was followed by North America with
BE A TOURIST IN 33 420 (13,5%), Asia with 24 390 (9,8%), WHAT’S
YOUR OWN COUNTRY Australasia with 10 193 (4,1%), Central and A FOSSIL?
The good news is you don’t need thou- South America with 10 004 (4%) and the It’s the hard-
ened remains or
sands of rands to be a tourist – and you don’t Middle East with 4 425 (1,8%). imprint left be-
even have to travel very far. SA is home to a North hind in the rock
wide variety of tourist attractions, many of America by an ancient
which are cultural heritage sites. Then there’s plant or animal.
South Africa’s natural beauty, which includes Europe Asia
beaches, caves and mountains, as well as Australasia “Mrs Ples” is a
semi-arid areas such as the Karoo that hold Central and famous hominid
their own unique allure. In this and next week’s South America skull discovered
articlewetakealookatafewattractionsworth Overseas Middle East in the Sterkfon-
visitors to SA
tein Caves.
visiting in each of our nine provinces. in November 2019
74 | 6 FEBRUARY 2020 you.co.za
