On Friday, International Beer Day was celebrated in restaurants, bars and pubs around the world. While one might cynically dismiss it as just another product marketing day, it is unique in an important respect. One of its stated goals is “to unite the world under the banner of beer, by celebrating the beers of all nations together on a single day”. It has grown from a limited range of activities in 2008 to a worldwide cultural celebration.
Given that beer is drunk all around the world, it is a vast market that represents an important economic opportunity for Africa — a continent with a rich and historic beer culture that hasn’t received anything like the recognition it deserves.
South African beer is slowly but surely attracting serious global attention, and the opportunity to position the country as an international beer tourism destination should be seized.
Tourism has bounced back from its post-Covid slump. International tourist arrivals in South Africa from January to December 2023 totalled 8.5-million. This is a remarkable 49% increase on arrivals in 2022.
It has been estimated that tourism makes up 8.6% of the South African economy and generates about 9% of the jobs in our country. Research also shows that for every 30 new tourists that come to South Africa, one new job is created.
It is remarkable that when you say “wine tourism” to people, they know exactly what you are talking about. But when you say “beer tourism”, they are often confused.
Beer is by far the most popular South African alcoholic beverage and has wide appeal. It also makes for a great tourist experience, as it is a drink of togetherness that represents a great way of getting to know African culture, as well as a taste sensation that can be paired wonderfully with South African cuisine
South Africa has a vibrant beer industry. The country has about 200 craft breweries, many of which have been internationally recognised. You will also find the best beer in Africa — Soul Barrel’s Ale of Origin — in Simondium, in the heart of the Western Cape winelands. The location of this brewery aptly illustrates how wine and beer tourism can mutually support each other in establishing South Africa as a taste destination on the world map.
Many international visitors to South Africa find the African traditions associated with beer especially captivating. For instance, the image of a round Zulu beer vessel filled with sorghum beer is a powerful one that speaks of a proud cultural heritage.
Beer is by far the most popular South African alcoholic beverage and has wide appeal. It also makes for an exceptional tourist experience, as it is a drink of togetherness that represents a great way of getting to know African culture, as well as a taste sensation that can be paired wonderfully with South African cuisine. Beer-drinking can also take tourists to some of the most beautiful parts of the country, given that there are craft breweries in the Cederberg, on the KwaZulu-Natal coast, in Gauteng’s urban hotspots, and in the Eastern Cape hills.
Tourism minister Patricia de Lille highlighted the potential of beer tourism recently, saying: “Responsible beer tourism can help create jobs and boost the local economy. It can also promote sustainability and cultural preservation. Locally sourced ingredients and sustainable practices can contribute to the preservation of ecosystems and cultural heritage.”
Drinking beer responsibly is closely related to awareness of your actions, which is important regardless of whether you are a tourist. By setting drink limits, sticking to the relevant regulations, organising safe transport in advance, and eating while drinking, you can enjoy the beer experience and avoid regrettable incidents. Safe beer tourism stresses drinking in moderation and encourages people to understand the impact alcohol has on themselves and others.
The idea of responsible drinking is also central to the hospitality and service training the Beer Association of South Africa (BASA) provides. Cultivating a culture of mindful drinking is an essential part of beer service.
Recently, with the support of the BASA, the Craft Beer Association of South Africa launched a certified craft beer guide training course aimed at showcasing South Africa’s rich beer offerings, enhancing beer knowledge and hospitality, and creating new employment opportunities. In July, the BASA teamed up with the Central University of Technology, Free State and the Sommeliers Academy to offer our beer ambassador certificate programme. The course gives students in the hospitality and tourism fields high-level beer training, leading to skills and a certificate that make them more employable. The programme also aims to inspire students to study the art of brewing beer further.
These types of initiatives can strengthen beer tourism in the longer term. Online information, such as the BASA’s Brewroutes website, is essential as well. Countries such as Germany, the US and UK offer a vast range of beer-tourism options to their visitors — craft-beer trails, food-pairing maps, detailed guided tours, and outing-based activities such as beer river cruises. While some of these activities are offered in South Africa, expanding the local options has huge potential.
Cape Town and Johannesburg regularly make it onto the top 10 lists of beer destinations in international publications, but for our local breweries to truly take advantage of the increased interest in beer tourism and invest in offerings for visitors, government regulatory and legislative support is needed. A stable excise tax regime and exemptions from onerous and expensive administrative regulations will go a long way towards boosting their businesses. Assisting small breweries also aligns with the government’s stated goal of supporting entrepreneurship and developing small, medium and micro enterprises.
So, if you clinked a glass on International Beer Day, know that you not only supported a South African tradition, but also made it more likely that South Africa will become an international beer tourism destination.
• Louw is the CEO of the BASA
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