Tourism authorities have embarked on an aggressive registration drive to flush out fly-by-night establishments, Tourism KwaZulu-Natal said on Wednesday.
”Tourism establishments that fail to register and uphold standards laid down by recent provincial government legislation face stiff penalties of up to R10 000”, Tourism KwaZulu-Natal official James Seymour said in a statement.
One of the objectives of the regulation is to expose fly-by-night operators not complying with basic minimum standards, Seymour said.
KwaZulu-Natal promulgated regulations in May this year relating to the KwaZulu-Natal Tourism Authority Amendment Act. The new regulations prescribe mandatory registration for all tourism operators and establishments before November this year.
Additional legislation also encourages certain tourism-related organisations, such as restaurants and shopping centres, to register voluntarily with the tourism authority.
Seymour said 2 116 tourism businesses have so far registered with the authority. Several thousand still have to do so.
”We are hoping to receive up to 4 000 new registrations by the end of this year,” Seymour said.
Notices will be sent to unregistered establishments, urging them to comply with the new regulations in the next few months.
”The regulation of best-practice standards in the tourism industry in KwaZulu-Natal will ensure that our tourism experience and product is beyond comparison,” Seymour said. — Sapa