Tourism is a priority sector for South Africa and is well-placed to contribute to economic growth and job creation, Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka said on Tuesday. The deputy president was speaking at the launch of the School of Tourism and Hospitality in Auckland Park, Johannesburg, on Tuesday.
”It is therefore of major significance to our current national effort to raise the real growth rate in the interest of development, closing the poverty gap, and serving the interest of all our citizens,” she said.
The school forms part of the University of Johannesburg which is the result of the merger between Technikon of Witwatersrand and the Rand Afrikaans University.
Among those present at the launch was famous hotelier Sol Kerzner.
”The past week has been quite a momentous week for myself,” said Kerzner.
”I happened to reach the age of 70. Today is the icing on the cake. I am truly excited about this new school. You can build beautiful buildings but if you don’t have the people and the tourism you will not succeed”.
In a pre-recorded video message, former president Nelson Mandela congratulated the university on the new institution.
”Tourism is a major growth industry in South Africa, which plays a pivotal role in job creation. This new international standard hotel school, with state of the art facilities, is poised to realise a vision of providing world class graduates to our expanding hospitality industry,” said Mandela. – Sapa