Uneven development is a long-established feature of South Africa’s space economy. Recent policy
initiatives have been launched for tourism to be a vehicle for regional development. Against the
background of international debates about tourism and regional development, this article
examines the tourism economy of South Africa’s 23 priority development districts or distressed
areas that are the current focus of national policy to redress uneven development. The nature
and growth of tourism occurring in these areas is shown to be primarily domestic tourism and
concentrated upon visiting friends and relatives travel. The prospects for regional development
ultimately hinge upon leveraging potential assets for leisure tourism. Key challenges for
incipient tourism-led regional development in South Africa are identified.