Lerato Mailone 
To end off Tourism Month, and celebrate Tourism Day, the Sandton precinct came alive on Friday as music lovers from across the globe joined the highly anticipated Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival at the Sandton Convention Centre, bringing together jazz aficionados a memorable musical experience.
The festival, now in its 25th edition, brought together a diverse line-up of world-class local and international jazz artists, celebrating the genre in all its forms.
The festival took place on Friday, 27 and Saturday, 28 September 2024, with a series of performances, the eclectic and very broad lineup and the community that this festival has built has allowed it to build up a loyal following of people from all parts of the world.
The music showpiece featured four stages showcasing the best jazz musicians from across Africa and the world.
To celebrate the travel culture, Gauteng Online met up with a group of music lovers who travelled from different provinces and abroad to witness performances from their favourite artists.
Sifiso Nkosi, took a much-needed break from his hometown in Mthatha in the Eastern Cape to witness the smooth jazz melodies but his favourite performance for the evening was by Mandisi Dyantyis an Afro-Soul-Jazz artist.
"His performance was electric, most of his performance reminded me of my heritage as he sings in my native language 'isiXhosa' and I was blown away by his vibrant energy, he was the best as I soaked in the vibrant atmosphere which kept me dancing for his entire performance."
Nkosi said he had a memorable event, and he is glad he decided to attend one of the continent's premier jazz events.
Sthembiso Dlamini, Gauteng Tourism's Chief Executive Officer expressed her enthusiasm for the festival, highlighting the province's pride in hosting such a prestigious event.
"The Joy of Jazz drives tourism, during the past two weekends the influx of tourists is well over 40 000 people which means this festival has a domino effect, it means the transport sector will benefit, accommodation and restaurants will benefit. We also had a partnership with Air B&B to register to be traders or hosts and we know that they have been full for the duration of the festival, so music tourism is a multiplier effect.
"This festival is global in nature, you have patrons coming from the SADC region, we also have internationals, we know that this is a jazz festival that is liked by the international market, the United States market where people from New Orleans travel to our destination. The festival has partnered with media in the United States where they bring media and patrons to the country to celebrate through the universal language of music."
This event drives tourism and supports the local economy. We are committed to continuing our support for music tourism and look forward to many more events that bolster social cohesion and economic growth.
 Photo Cred:Department  of Sport, Arts and Culture