Staff writer, 23 April 2026.

It might be a good idea to train a huge number of young South Africans as Mandarin and French interpreters as this would inject new energy into the tourism sector.

China and Francophone Africa were among the fastest‑growing visitor markets but travellers from China have since declined due in part to language barriers and safety concerns.

Imagine Mandarin‑speaking youth guiding tour groups through the Kruger, or French‑speaking interpreters supporting visitors in Cape Town’s museums, hotels, and wine estates.

No prizes for guessing that this would improve visitor experience, boost spending, and create meaningful jobs in rural and urban areas.

Additional spinoffs would include small businesses possibly hiring trained interpreters to attract new markets, while big tourism operators would probably need to consider putting money in large‑scale language training partnerships to grow South Africa’s global competitiveness.