South Africa’s rich cultural heritage could play a bigger role in growing the country’s rural tourism economy, creating opportunities for communities to benefit from the traditions, stories, food, crafts, and ceremonies that have shaped their identities for generations.
With the staging of uMkhosi woMhlanga - the annual Zulu Reed Dance - in KwaZulu-Natal, focus shifted once more to the rich cultural heritage of the province.
The 2026 ceremony was held across two royal residences, with the first programme taking place at eMachobeni Royal in iNgwavuma from September 4 to 6, followed by the main celebrations at eMashobeni Royal in uPhongolo from September 11 to 13.
The event provided a powerful example of how living heritage can attract visitors to rural areas while creating opportunities for local businesses.
At its peak, uMkhosi woMhlanga has attracted more than 100 000 people, including participants, families, visitors, dignitaries, and spectators.
Tens of thousands of young Zulu maidens participated during the peak celebrations, placing significant attention on KwaZulu-Natal and Zulu cultural heritage.
For UKZN cultural expert specialising in African languages, isiZulu heritage, and onomastics, Professor Sihawu Ngubane, the significance of uMkhosi woMhlanga extended far beyond the ceremony itself.
Living heritage as a tourism attraction
“Umhlanga is a powerful living cultural expression of Zulu identity, values, and showcases tradition, music, dance and community life,” he says.
Ngubane says visitors are able to experience a living culture rather than simply encountering heritage in museums.
“Engagement and interaction with communities create ties with visitors,” he says.
The ceremony has also become a flagship expression of Zulu royal heritage, while providing opportunities for local communities to generate income through the sale of food, beadwork and traditional attire, as well as accommodation at local guesthouses.
This demonstrates the potential of cultural tourism to spread the benefits of tourism beyond established destinations and into rural communities.
South Africa’s tourism offering is often associated with wildlife, beaches and major cities, but its cultural diversity provides another significant attraction for domestic and international visitors.
Turning culture into opportunity
For rural communities, cultural tourism can mean turning existing assets into tourism experiences without having to create entirely new attractions.
Communities could develop cultural tours, traditional food experiences, craft markets, storytelling sessions and opportunities for visitors to learn about local traditions and indigenous knowledge.
Ngubane believes communities should be better organised ahead of major cultural events to take advantage of the visitors they attract.
“They could organise themselves prior the event and market their products,” he says, adding that knowledgeable individuals could also be brought in to showcase traditions and living heritage to visitors.
This could allow communities to move beyond simply being locations where cultural events take place and become active participants in the tourism economy.
Infrastructure remains a challenge
However, for cultural tourism to deliver meaningful economic benefits, infrastructure remains critical.
Ngubane says provincial government should improve infrastructure around major ceremonies, including exhibition stalls where community members can sell food and beverages.
He also highlights the need for appropriate facilities that provide privacy for the maidens participating in the ceremony.
“The eMashobeni Royal Residence needs more attention to plan for future ceremonies,” he says.
The issue highlights one of the challenges facing rural tourism: having a significant cultural attraction does not automatically mean that a community has the infrastructure needed to accommodate visitors or capture the economic value they bring.
Accommodation, transport, trading spaces and other visitor facilities can determine whether tourism spending remains within the local economy or flows elsewhere.
Protecting the culture
There is also a delicate balance between promoting culture as a tourism asset and protecting its meaning.
Ngubane argues that the people who own and live the heritage must remain central to how it is interpreted, protected and commercialised.
“Owners of heritage [need] to be given a space to sustain the cultural heritage and remain at the centre of its interpretation, protection and economic benefit,” he says.
This is particularly important for ceremonies such as uMkhosi woMhlanga, where cultural significance must not be overshadowed by tourism.
Ngubane says the Zulu maidens participating in the ceremony should be respected and celebrated as they transition into womanhood.
Beyond the annual ceremony
The biggest challenge, however, is ensuring that the economic benefits of cultural events extend beyond the event itself.
While uMkhosi woMhlanga can bring significant numbers of people into rural areas, it remains a seasonal event.
“The event is seasonal and the jobs could not be sustained beyond the ceremony,” Ngubane says.
“Jobs are short-lived and the economic growth is limited to this period only.”
He argues that there are currently no ongoing projects sufficiently linked to the event to sustain its economic impact throughout the year.
This is where South Africa’s rural cultural tourism opportunity lies: turning major cultural events into gateways to year-round tourism.
Visitors who travel to an area for a cultural ceremony could be encouraged to explore surrounding communities, heritage sites and locally owned businesses before and after the event.
That could create demand for cultural tours, accommodation, crafts, food and other experiences throughout the year, rather than concentrating tourism spending around a single event.
It could also create opportunities for young people to participate in the tourism economy as guides, entrepreneurs, performers, artisans and storytellers.
For Ngubane, this must also include recognising those who play important roles in preserving cultural traditions.
He believes elders who look after the maidens should be appropriately incentivised for their contribution.
Making heritage work for communities
South Africa already has the cultural resources needed to develop a stronger rural tourism offering. The opportunity is to ensure that these resources are not only showcased but developed responsibly into sustainable experiences that generate income for the communities that preserve them.
uMkhosi woMhlanga demonstrates the power of living heritage to attract people and stimulate local economic activity.
But for cultural tourism to become a meaningful driver of rural economic growth, the benefits must continue long after the final song and dance.
The real opportunity lies in building a year-round tourism economy around the culture that already exists - while ensuring that the communities who carry that heritage remain at its heart.
zamandosi.cele@nationalmg.co.za