TESA is a leading professional body representing academics from institutions of higher learning that offer tourism and hospitality programmes across South Africa. The organisation promotes collaboration among educators with the aim of strengthening the quality, relevance and impact of tourism education and training.
Dr Thwala will serve in a dual role as Director and Government Engagement Officer. In these positions, she will contribute to national dialogue and strategic initiatives aimed at strengthening tourism education and aligning academic programmes with industry needs and government policy frameworks.
Her responsibilities include facilitating engagement between tourism academics and key national stakeholders, undertaking commissioned research, and supporting Memoranda of Understanding with sector partners. These partners include the National Department of Tourism (NDT), South African Tourism (SAT), the South African National Convention Bureau (SANCB), and other stakeholders involved in policy and strategic discussions relating to the Tourism Sector Master Plan (TSMP) and broader tourism development priorities in South Africa.
Dr Thwala also serves as an Executive Committee member of the Provincial Tourism Stakeholder Forum, also known as the Tourism Think Tank. The forum is led by the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) in partnership with the Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDT).
Through these platforms, she contributes to strengthening collaboration between academia, government and industry while supporting tourism policy engagement and sector development at both provincial and national levels.
Her national engagement enhances the visibility of the University of Mpumalanga within tourism education networks, while also creating opportunities for research collaboration and ensuring that academic programmes remain aligned with national policy frameworks and industry priorities.
This engagement further supports the development of industry-ready graduates through strengthened partnerships with employers, professional bodies and sector stakeholders.
Dr Thwala’s work reflects the University’s commitment to impactful and forward-looking higher education. Through her scholarship, postgraduate supervision and mentorship, programme leadership, and national stakeholder engagement, she continues to contribute to the advancement of tourism education and sustainable tourism development in South Africa.
About Tourism Educators South Africa (TESA)
Tourism Educators South Africa promotes collaboration among tourism and hospitality academics and postgraduate students through research partnerships and Memoranda of Understanding with accredited academic journals.
The association advances tourism and hospitality education through national and international research collaboration, the sharing of best practices, and engagement with industry and government stakeholders. It provides a platform for tourism educators to contribute to national skills development, curriculum innovation and policy dialogue within the sector.
TESA also hosts student-focused research events, facilitates industry-linked webinars that address graduate employability, and supports access to potential internships, bursaries and employment pathways for students in the tourism and hospitality field. These initiatives contribute to tourism skills development, tourism human resource development, and the professionalisation of the tourism and hospitality sector.
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