[14] However, accommodation establishments need to obtain a star grading from the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA) before entering the awards' competition as the TGCSA is the only recognised and globally benchmarked quality assurance body for tourism products in South Africa.

[24] Chinese tourists are considered to be a lucrative market, but SA Tourism has struggled to attract them due to the high crime rate and complicated visa policy of South Africa.

[29] This sentiment was also echored by the CEO of SA Tourism Sisa Ntshona who pointed out Airbnb, Uber, and Lyf as the new face of the sharing economy but suggested for fairness between these new players and conventional service providers.

[30] At the 2018 World Travel Market in London SA Tourism stated that the South Africa had to be different as lose of customers to reflect negatively on the country's reputation.

[33] In January, the Daily Maverick reported that the entity was considering a three-year sponsorship deal with the Tottenham Hotspur F.C.

[37][38][39] The board has agreed, 30 March, not to proceed with the Tottenham Hotspur FC sponsorship proposal as advised by Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille.

De Lille received a letter from the SA Tourism Board Chairperson stating that they are no longer considering the proposed sponsorship deal.