The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism and South African Tourism would like to respond to the Going Places opinion piece by Sharon van Wyk, published in Escape on September 26.
The article began by questioning what Tourism Month had achieved. It is still early days to comment on what this year’s Tourism Month has achieved, but what it quite clearly has over the eight years since its inception has been to encourage an increase in the incidence of domestic travel, an activity that, to at least 80% of the population, has in the past been denied.
To this end Tourism Month 2003 did see the welcome buy-in of the local industry in putting together extremely creative packaging of affordable deals for South Africans.
The backbone of any mature country’s tourism industry is the size and stability of its domestic sector, which acts as a vital buffer during times of external instability.
When, in times of political, economic and social uncertainty (such as post- 9/11, the severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak and the Iraq war), people reduce their overseas travel, it is imperative that a country’s tourism industry has an established travelling public back home to help it weather and sustain itself during the tough times for inbound travel.
In South Africa the domestic tourism industry comprises 67% of all tourism activity, contributing about R9,7-billion to the economy, but it still lags behind many of the world’s other leading tourism destinations.
Tourism Month not only aims to boost the awareness of the benefits of discovering one’s own country in an attempt to increase that percentage, it also creates an environment wherein people understand the importance of the role a successful tourism industry plays towards sustainable GDP growth, job creation and the subsequent alleviation of poverty.
An indication of the level of awareness that Tourism Month and its concurrent “Welcome” theme enjoys in the public arena is that it was identified as the country’s leading top-of-mind tourism campaign in the 2001/2002 Domestic Tourism Survey.
The Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Mohammed Valli Moosa’s “tough talk” on the current “lily-whiteness” of local tourist guides was prompted by ongoing complaints received by the tourism department from foreign visitors who had negatively commented on the lack of indigenous tour guides, with many operators believing that tourists would prefer a white guide to a black one.
To date, of the approximately 6 000 guides registered with the department, only 1 245 are historically disadvantaged individuals.
As a result, the minister reiterated his concern for the slow pace of transformation in this sector during this year’s budget speech, promising to introduce quotas if the situation were not properly addressed. The industry has agreed to develop a transformation plan that was duly discussed and agreed upon at the Tourism Minmec (meeting of ministers and MECs) held on September 25 in Upington, being given until the end of November to provide the minister with its implementation targets.
Van Wyk asked what is being done to boost inbound tourism, both at government and parastatal level.
The government, in recognising that tourism is one of the country’s top five leading growth industries, has in recent years more than quadrupled its funding of South African Tourism, contributing R300-million for the current financial year.
The fact that the country is also respected as a politically and economically stable democracy that offers a world-class infrastructure incorporating modern highways, communications systems and medical expertise, is also due in no small part to the role the government plays in ensuring the country is seen as a preferred tourism destination.
South Africa is currently the fastest- growing tourist destination in the world, last year recording an overall 11,1% increase in tourist arrivals over 2001, while its overseas total increased by 20,1%. This growth is being maintained, with arrivals for the first six months of the year having increased by 4,8% and 9,6% respectively. Such significant growth did not take place by chance.
The new Tourism Growth Strategy, adopted by the Cabinet earlier this year, has allowed South African Tourism to clearly focus its international marketing efforts where it will receive the best return on its investments; it has identified key markets and, within those markets, key sectors of travellers.
It also allows for the organisation to quickly restrategise in response to rapidly changing travel trends in a competitive global arena.
A prime example of the success of industry’s public and private partnership is the voluntary 1% Tomsa (Tourism Marketing SA) levy — administered by the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) and collected from tourists as a separate charge added to the cost of their accommodation.
The levy is collected by the industry and is dedicated directly to South African Tourism via the TBCSA — that counts among its members both the Southern Africa Tourism Services Association and the Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa — for international tourism marketing of the country.
These funds are committed only after close scrutiny of South African Tourism’s business plans and consultation between South African Tourism and the industry. The amount agreed on for the current financial year amounts to R9-million each quarter (far removed from the R40-million every three months as quoted by Van Wyk).
South African Tourism joins the TBCSA in conducting annual roadshows throughout the country, when the industry is informed and consulted on the way in which this funding provided by them is being utilised.
The way in which the industry at large has embraced collecting the levy is fully appreciated, its funding has proved invaluable towards positioning the country as a value-for-money, preferred tourism destination in what is a competitive global marketplace.
This commitment again indicates the unquestioning support and joint meeting of minds between public and private partnerships committed to working towards a common goal as “Team South Africa”. It is only through this great sharing of knowledge that growth can continue.
That South African Tourism cannot do this alone is understood. The key challenges are further increasing tourist volume, spend, length of stay, improving seasonality and geographic spread, and industry transformation.
The tremendous momentum that has been achieved must continue until all the postcards being sent are from an authentically South African holiday destination.
Dr Patrick Matlou is deputy director general for tourism and Cheryl Carolus is CEO of South African Tourism