Travel isn’t just good for the soul; it’s also good for the economy. In 2025, tourism contributes to approximately 10% of the global GDP and employs one in ten people worldwide. Locally, tourism generates 3.3% of South Africa’s GDP (which is higher than the contribution of agriculture and construction), which translates to R618 billion and over 1.9 million jobs.
Not only does this include the direct spending of tourists, but it also includes indirect spending in industries such as transportation, entertainment and shopping.
Travel Management Companies play an important role in the supply chain of this sector, providing opportunities for growth and development in the tourism industry.
The Role of Rennies BCD Travel in supporting the travel industry
The impact of tourism on the economy goes beyond generating income and employment. It’s a mechanism to increase economic growth and foster talent for the future.
Economic growth and job creation: Rennies BCD Travel, as part of the BidTravel group, has proactively supported economic growth through the development of small businesses and has also contributed to job creation through the following initiatives.
Business incubator: BidTravel and Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) launched the Abazayo Incubator to offer final-year tourism and event management students 900-hour Work Integrated Learning (WIL) placements. The programme uniquely mentors and supports young entrepreneurial TUT students. The program’s structure blends academic theory with practical workplace experience. Students are matched with industry mentors who provide guidance and expose them to the real world of work and their professional networks. This holistic approach enhances their understanding of the travel industry and equips them with the qualities necessary for long-term success.
Unemployed learnerships: Every year, our learnership programme provides hands-on learning to tourism students – and the best part is that we employ them for the next year, helping them build skills for the future world of work.
Support of small businesses: The Red Stamp Club serves as an internal supplier development initiative designed to foster the growth of exempt micro-enterprises (EMEs) and qualifying small enterprises (QSEs) within the company’s value chain. In addition to Rennies BCD Travel supporting these businesses, the programme also positively contributes to clients’ B-BBEE scorecards.
Over the past year, the Red Stamp Club, in conjunction with the Shuttle Services Programme, has demonstrated a substantial impact, completing over 5,000 accommodation bookings and facilitating 8,670 daily transfer trips through its partner network.
Similarly, Rennies BCD Travel supports two SMME suppliers via the Sigma International incubator model – Mercatique Consulting, specialising in MICE services and William David Travel, specialising in entertainment.
Building the travel skillset of the future
Rennies BCD Travel believes in empowering employees to be the best they can be, and supports this philosophy with a robust learning and development plan that supports the following initiatives.
- Empowered learning: Our bursaries give us the opportunity to grow our careers and rack up the PhDs!
- Ongoing training: Our LMS library of travel training allows everyone to learn at their own pace.
- Feed your Soul sessions: An inspirational platform for growth and development.
- Masterclasses: Who better to teach us than our very own experts! Our masterclasses cover a range of practical topics and soft skills to help us improve our service.
- Supplier workshops: Weekly operational training sessions with our partners to
- Graduate programme: Our graduate programme supports staff who are working and studying with mentorship to help them grow and develop into new opportunities in the business.
- Job shadowing: A structured internal programme that supports the career growth plan of high-performing employees who want to expand into new areas of the business.
Supporting career pathways, mentoring talent and opening doors for growth not only supports people, but also uplifts the industry. These initiatives provide opportunities for SMMEs to increase their reach, drive economic growth and job creation, supporting sustainable development for the local travel industry.