Students from the University of Johannesburg (UJ) took first and second places at the prestigious G20 Tourism Hackathon showcasing the university’s strength in applied innovation.
Third-year Bachelor of tourism management and development students Teagon Sypkerman and Inganathi Zamela were part of the winning teams in the global competition, which focused on using artificial intelligence to create solutions that drive job creation and sustainable growth in tourism.
The hackathon brought together 46 young people from 21 universities, with UJ emerging as the only institution represented in the top two teams. Participants were mentored to design prototypes supporting smart tourism, rural inclusion and cultural heritage innovation.
Dr Tracy Daniels, academic head for hospitality at UJ, praised the achievement: “What an incredible job. The University of Johannesburg is the only university with students in the top two teams. An amazing achievement.”
Spykerman was part of the Catalysts team, which claimed the top prize of R175,000 with their project Hologram Hub. The platform empowers rural communities to document and showcase their cultural heritage, directly attracting tourists to their areas.
Spykerman said: “Being part of the G20 Hackathon has been an eye-opening experience. The opportunity has taught me how to work better in teams, but more importantly, it has opened my eyes and made me believe in myself more, and I’ll forever be grateful for that.”
Zamela’s team, Map My Biz, came second, securing R140,000. Their solution tackles the challenge of visibility for local entrepreneurs, combining offline accredited learning with AI-driven tools and a global smart map to help rural businesses connect with international and domestic tourists.
Zamela said the competition reshaped how he thinks about tourism: “Being part of the first G20 Tourism Hackathon South Africa was an inspiring and eye-opening experience for me. It challenged me to think with an innovative mindset about global tourism issues that need to be solved urgently. I got the privilege to collaborate with diverse, brilliant minds and embrace innovation as a tool for real, sustainable global impact.
“I walked away with new knowledge, stronger problem-solving skills, a winning concept, new friends and the confidence that young future leaders can truly shape the future of tourism.”
The two winning teams will present their solutions at the G20 Ministerial Summit, where they will showcase their innovations to tourism ministers from G20 nations.
Prof Diane Abrahams, director of UJ’s school of tourism and Hospitality, applauded the students’ success: “Well done to Akhona Melani for the guidance to the students and congratulations to Teagon and Inganathi. We are super proud of you.”
TimesLIVE
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