G20 Hackathon Empowers South African Youth To Pioneer AI Driven Solutions For Tourism Sustainability

The event brought together 48 students from 21 higher learning institutions across all nine provinces, tasked with developing artificial intelligence (AI) applications to boost job creation and strengthen tourism growth.

Launched by Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille in June, the initiative was presented in partnership with the Future Leaders Challenge, the Centre for Public Service Innovation, and Geekulcha.

"This initiative prioritises a vision of people-centred artificial intelligence and sustainable tourism innovation," said Minister De Lille. "The G20 Tourism Hackathon is more than a competition; it is a legacy project that brings government, business, and academia together to build a tech-savvy tourism sector."

Over two days, the students worked in teams under mentorship to create prototypes aligned with three themes:

• Smart Tourism and AI Solutions: empowering SMEs and creating seamless travel experiences.• Community-Based Tourism and Rural Inclusion: connecting tourists with hidden gems in small towns and villages.• Heritage and Cultural Tourism Innovation: showcasing African culture, heritage sites, and indigenous knowledge through digital tools.

The winners:

• First place (R175,000) – The Catalysts: a “Hologram Hub” platform enabling rural communities to share and preserve their cultural heritage while attracting visitors.• Second place (R140,000) – Map My Biz: an AI-supported learning and mapping tool to make rural entrepreneurs visible and trusted.•Third place (R105,000) – Ubuntu Unlimited: a VR and Web3 platform for virtual village tours, workshops, and authentic crafts.• Teams placing fourth to seventh each received R35,000.

Minister De Lille praised the finalists, emphasising that their solutions would be supported for real-world application: "We were not just looking for good ideas; we are investing in solutions that are ethical, inclusive, and sustainable. The winning solutions will be accelerated for commercialisation with funding from the Department of Tourism and our partners."

The top three teams also presented their innovations at the G20 Tourism Ministers’ Meeting in Skukuza, Kruger National Park, giving their work global visibility.

For participants, the hackathon was both a competition and a launchpad. As one of the first initiatives of its kind in the tourism sector, it highlighted the role of South Africa’s youth in shaping a tech-enabled, sustainable future for the industry.