UNESCO reports 10 Southern Africa festivals generated $11M+ and 3,000 jobs in 2024, highlighting their vital yet overlooked economic and cultural role.
A new UNESCO report shows that ten festivals in Southern Africa generated over $11 million in economic activity and nearly 3000 jobs in 2024, demonstrating their significant, yet underrecognized, role in economic, cultural, and social development.
This groundbreaking UNESCO report highlights the transformative potential of arts and culture festivals across Southern Africa. Titled “Creating for the Future: Harnessing Southern Africa’s Arts and Cultural Festivals for Sustainable Development”, the report provides a comprehensive analysis of the cultural, social, economic, and environmental impact of ten major festivals across nine countries in the region.
The report was officially launched during the 2025 MTN Bushfire Festival in Eswatini, in partnership with the Eswatini National Commission for UNESCO. The event brought together government officials, cultural practitioners, development partners, and civil society underscoring the regional and cross-sectoral importance of cultural festivals in sustainable development.
Festivals generate significant income in local economies, create jobs, boost tourism, and empower youth
Despite limited institutional support, the report highlights that festivals are powerful drivers of economic growth, job creation, tourism, and youth empowerment across Southern Africa.
According to the UNESCO report, the ten festivals generated over USD 11.7 million in economic activity in 2024 stimulating local economies through spending in tourism, hospitality, retail, and services. Nearly 3,000 jobs were created across these events providing vital livelihoods, especially in regions where formal employment opportunities may be limited.
The report highlights a strong economic multiplier effect, for every $1 invested in festival production, an estimated additional $2.51 is injected into the local economy.
With 61% of attendees being non-local, festivals serve as significant tourism boosters.
Socially, the report findings indicates that festivals are inclusive spaces: 54% of management roles are held by women, and 65% of the workforce is under 31 years, underscoring their role in youth empowerment and gender equity.
Culturally, festivals play a key role in promoting local heritage and emerging talent, with 45% of artists being local and 37% emerging talents. Environmental sustainability however remains a challenge as the report shows that most festivals have adopted some green practices but only one has a comprehensive sustainability strategy pointing to efforts needed to attain climate-conscious event planning.
“Beyond the numbers, the strength of festivals is in their role of preserving indigenous traditions and promoting the narratives of marginalised communities and addressing themes of gender, exclusion, and stereotypes” – Ms. Nisha, Director of office and UNESCO Representative to Southern Africa (in the Foreword).
Despite their impact, festivals remain overlooked in policy
Despite their proven contributions, festivals remain largely under supported and under recognized in national policy frameworks. Their exclusion from national development plans and cultural policies is limiting their ability to realize their full potential and deliver lasting, positive impact for their local communities.
In his opening remarks at the regional launch of the report, Mr. George Wachira, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Eswatini, emphasized the broader significance of festivals, stating:
"Arts and cultural festivals are not just celebrations, they are strategic platforms for development, inclusion, and regional integration, and must be recognized and supported as such."
Mr. George Wachira, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Eswatini.
Delivering the keynote address at the regional launch of the report, Eswatini’s Minister of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs, Honourable Muzi Bongani Nzima, urged stronger government support, stating:
"Let this report be more than a publication. Let it be a call to action. A call for governments to recognize festivals as strategic partners."
Honourable Muzi Bongani Nzima, Eswatini Minister of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs.
This call for the recognition of the contribution of arts and cultural festivals to development became a recurrent theme in the discussions throughout the festival.
At the MTN Bushfire Festival Arts Roundtable and throughout the festival, a clear theme emerged: festivals serve as powerful platforms for youth empowerment, gender equity, environmental awareness, and cultural preservation. They are spaces where communities gather, identities are affirmed, and local livelihoods are supported. To fully unlock this potential, coordinated stakeholders’ action is essential.
Calls for action from Report Launch and Arts Round Table
At the launch of the report and UNESCO’s panel session at the MTN Bushfire Festival Arts Roundtable, festival organisers and stakeholders in the culture and creative industries called on government and development partners to support festivals to ensure their sustainability. The following recommendations were put forward in the dialogue:
Inclusion in Policy: Festivals should be integrated into national development plans, given their impact on local economies, youth and women’s employment, and social action.
Enhance Data Collection: There is pressing need for robust, disaggregated data systems to track and measure the cultural, social, economic, and environmental impact of festivals. Reliable data is essential for advocacy and resource mobilization.
Strengthen Regional Collaboration: Support is needed for platforms that foster dialogue, peer learning, and joint programming among Southern African festivals.
UNESCO’s presence at the festival extended beyond the launch. At the UN Bring Your Fire Zone, UNESCO engaged artists, policymakers, and the public in conversations about UNESCO’s support for the culture and creative industries in Southern Africa.