| W ith better marketing and some much-needed upgrading of key venues, the provincial capital of the North West Province, Mahikeng, has the potential to be a destination for business and event tourism.
Tourism businesses in Mahikeng have raised concerns about the city's limited product offerings and ineffective marketing strategies, according to a study titled "City tourism product development and marketing: the case of the provincial capital city of Mahikeng".
The research was conducted by Dr Michael Chambwe, Prof Lisebo Tseane-Gumbi and Dr Walter Wessels from the Tourism Research in Economics, Environs and Society (TREES) unit at the NWU.
The study set out to capture the industry's views on Mahikeng's current urban tourism product offering and to identify the marketing activities needed for the city's development.
Using survey responses from 62 tourism businesses, the research revealed a narrow tourism product mix, weak marketing initiatives and limited recognition of the potential of business tourism.
Convention centre is in need of some attention
One of the issues raised was the underutilisation of Mahikeng's convention centre, the premier event venue in the city.
This facility has long been overlooked despite its potential to strengthen the city's appeal as a tourism destination, said Dr Wessels, senior lecturer and programme leader within the School of Tourism Management on the Mahikeng Campus.
"Our study shows that business and event tourism has not been recognised for the role it can play in positioning Mahikeng as a world-class city destination.
Upgrading and making better use of existing facilities like the convention centre is essential," he explained in an article published in Studia Periegetica journal, co-authored with Dr Chambwe and Prof Tseane-Gumbi.
He added that a shift in approach is needed at both municipal and provincial government level.
"Policy makers should place greater emphasis on business and event tourism as a catalyst for economic activity in the city. If supported properly, it can contribute significantly to diversifying Mahikeng's tourism profile."
The research also stressed the importance of basic urban management in building Mahikeng's image as a tourism city.
"Simple but crucial elements such as cleanliness, proper signage and the city's ambience play a major role in how tourists perceive Mahikeng. Without addressing these, marketing campaigns alone will not succeed," Dr Wessels noted.
The authors recommend diversifying the city's tourism product mix and implementing marketing activities tailored to its status as a provincial capital.
The full study is available here.
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Research@NWU November 2025
