Tourism Growth Fund

The Tourism Growth Fund is a co-funded grant mechanism of the Western Cape Government's Department of Economic Development and Tourism that supports high-impact tourism infrastructure, product and business development projects across the province. 

What the Fund is

The Tourism Growth Fund (TGF) is administered by the Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDAT) through its Tourism Growth and Development programme. It is designed to unlock private and third-party investment, strengthen destination and product competitiveness, and support tourism enterprises to grow, create jobs and help double international arrivals to the Western Cape by 2030.

What the Fund supports

The Fund provides grant co-funding for collaborative, high-impact initiatives that upgrade and expand visitor infrastructure, develop new or improved tourism products and experiences, and strengthen business development and market access support to tourism SMMEs. Projects should address key constraints such as ageing infrastructure, limited market-responsive experiences and uneven geographic spread of tourism activity, and should ideally align with high-growth thematic areas such as farm and food, village heritage, wellness escapes, jewel towns and Western Cape trails.

Who can apply

Eligible applicants include Western Cape municipalities and municipal entities responsible for tourism or local economic development, tourism and destination organisations (including local tourism offices, DMOs, associations and relevant NGOs/NPOs), and registered tourism businesses and SMMEs operating in the province. Applicants must be in good standing with SARS and, where applicable, able to meet the Fund’s co-funding requirements.

How the Fund works

The Fund operates as an open, competitive fund, subject to budget availability, with applications assessed against published criteria and evaluated on a regular basis. All funding allocations are at the discretion of DEDAT and are based on the quality of the proposal, alignment with the Fund’s objectives and thematic areas, and the availability of budgeted resources.

Applications and criteria

1. Applicants must complete the online application form on the Tourism Growth Fund portal and upload all required supporting documents as part of their submission.

2. Applications must clearly identify the primary category under which support is being sought. The Fund is structured around three categories:

• Category A: Tourism infrastructure support.
• Category B: Product development support.
• Category C: Business development and market readiness support.

3. Only applications submitted through the prescribed online process will be considered. No emailed or hand-delievered applications will be accepted. 

4. Applicants must ensure that all sections of the online application are completed in full and that all compulsory supporting documents are submitted, legible and valid. Applications with missing, damaged or illegible documentation cannot be considered.

5. The qualifying criteria will be applied strictly. Applicants must, among other requirements, demonstrate that the applying entity has been operating for at least two years, is tax compliant, and is able to submit the required registration and financial documentation.

6. Depending on the nature of the proposal, applicants may also be required to provide proof of co-funding, landowner approval, and confirmation that relevant statutory, planning, environmental or heritage approvals are in place or sufficiently advanced.

7. Before starting the application, applicants are strongly encouraged to read the full Call for Proposals and prepare their submission in line with the prescribed project proposal structure, including the business or organisational profile, project description, project impact, monitoring and evaluation plan, implementation plan, cash flow, and detailed budget breakdown.

8. All applications will be assessed against the Fund’s objectives, strategic fit, implementation readiness, projected impact, and availability of budget. Preference may be given to projects in non-Metro and underserved areas, as well as initiatives that unlock co-funding and strengthen inclusive tourism growth in the Western Cape.