Vision (TOR Section 6)
To establish Gauteng as Africa's most collaborative, competitive and compelling destination through integrated destination marketing leadership and ecosystem-wide partnership.
Guiding principle (TOR Section 7)
One DestinationPosition Gauteng as a unified destination ecosystem.
One StoryBuild a coherent and differentiated Gauteng narrative.
Multiple VoicesEmpower partners, residents, visitors, investors, creators, businesses, sports personalities and communities to tell the Gauteng story.
Multiple ChannelsDistribute destination content across digital, broadcast, events, media, partnerships, influencers, trade networks and stakeholder platforms.
Strategic purpose (TOR Section 5) - the Forum exists to:
- Advance implementation of the Destination Gauteng Strategic Brand Marketing Framework.
- Coordinate destination marketing efforts across stakeholders.
- Drive alliance marketing initiatives.
- Support economic growth and destination competitiveness.
- Strengthen Brand Gauteng.
- Facilitate content collaboration and amplification.
- Promote integrated destination storytelling.
- Improve market conversion and visitor growth.
- Build stronger linkages between tourism, trade, investment, culture, sport, innovation and economic development.
Core strategic objective (TOR Section 5.1)
Reduce duplication and increase the collective ROI of destination marketing expenditure through coordinated planning, content sharing and campaign collaboration - recognising that the main challenge for municipalities is maximising impact with tight budgets and limited resources.
Goals - what the Forum seeks to achieve (TOR Section 4)
Align stakeholdersBehind a common destination agenda.
Build competitivenessStrengthen Gauteng's position against destinations with larger budgets and integrated promotion systems.
Grow visitation & investmentIncrease visitor numbers, investment and economic impact.
Consistent messagingCreate consistency in destination messaging across all institutions.
Marketing effectiveness & ROIIncrease effectiveness and return on marketing investment.
Brand equity & reputationStrengthen Gauteng's reputation and brand equity.
Always-on ecosystemBuild an always-on destination marketing and storytelling ecosystem.
Mobilise participationMobilise public and private sector participation around shared outcomes.
Strategic priorities (TOR Section 11)
Destination Brand AlignmentAdvancing a shared Destination Gauteng value proposition.
Alliance MarketingPooling resources, audiences and platforms for increased destination impact.
Content MarketingA content-first ecosystem that consistently tells and shares the Gauteng story.
Digital Ecosystem DevelopmentBuilding on the GTA / Visit Gauteng digital ecosystem as the central content and engagement platform.
Events LeveragingUsing sport, cultural, creative, business, tourism and investment events as destination marketing platforms.
Destination CompetitivenessPromoting Gauteng's strengths in tourism, trade, innovation, investment and lifestyle.
Strategic PartnershipsMobilising resources and expertise through public-private collaboration.
Market DevelopmentSupporting domestic and international market growth and market conversion objectives.
How the Forum works (TOR Section 9 & Section 14)
GTA stewardshipThe Gauteng Tourism Authority is strategic thought leader, convenor & secretariat, and destination content ecosystem builder - custodian of the Destination Gauteng brand.
Quarterly ForumStrategic alignment, performance review, market insights, partnership engagement, planning and approval of collaborative initiatives.
Monthly Working CommitteeTechnical representatives coordinate implementation, drive campaign integration, facilitate content collaboration and track actions.
Task teamsSpecialist teams as required - content & digital, tourism, trade & investment, sports, film & creative, culture & heritage, events, research, partnerships.
Membership commitmentSenior, decision-empowered representatives; 75% meeting attendance; active participation in agreed collaborative initiatives (TOR Section 14.4).
Decision-makingConsensus first, simple majority where needed. The Forum advises and coordinates - it does not override members' statutory mandates.
Success statement (TOR Section 16)
The Gauteng Marketing Forum is a strategic alliance platform that unites the province's destination-building ecosystem behind a shared ambition to grow Gauteng's competitiveness, reputation, visitor economy, investment attractiveness and economic impact through coordinated marketing leadership, alliance partnerships, content-led storytelling and integrated execution. Under the stewardship of the Gauteng Tourism Authority, the Forum advances a One Destination, One Story approach that is amplified through multiple voices, creators, partners and channels - ensuring that Gauteng competes, communicates and grows as a connected destination ecosystem.