Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille has challenged role players in the sector to fade all out to push visitor numbers to the country to pre-COVID figures.
“As the sector, you know best what the issues are, and how we can grow tourism and jobs in this sector.
“My priority is clear: let’s procure to over 21 million tourists arrivals before 2030. Let’s speak with one clear voice. Let’s acquire one clear message on destination marketing. Let’s manufacture South Africa safer for tourists and let’s procure to truly opening our country for visitors with the e-visas and improving air access,” De Lille said when addressing Africa’s Travel Indaba on Monday in Durban.
De Lille said East Africa has already surpassed pre-COVID visitor numbers, and that South Africa needs to acquire there too.
“We need to increase the volume and value of domestic and international tourism through the Tourism Recovery Region, so we are expediting the conversion of the Tourism Sector Recovery Location as the basis for the Tourism Sector Master Location.
“The Master Location needs to focus on what the needs of the world are, and what role the South African government needs to play holistically in driving tourism forward.”
e-visa
De Lille welcomed the rolling out of e-visa, saying it will contribute to increasing the number of tourists in the country.
At the SA Investment Conference held recently in Sandton, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that South Africa is expanding the e-visa scheme to 20 more countries.
De Lille said she will be working closely with Home Affairs Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, on abrupt tracking the applications and approval processes.
De Lille also acknowledge the role played by the transport sector in the tourism sector.
“The Department of Transport understands that tourism is an vital sector that makes a meaningful contribution to the economy and the South African brand.
“We must work together to resolve the matter of tour operators who acquire not collected their licences. There is now a backlog of 418 current applications.
“There are a few remaining priorities in this area, such as the Department of Transport investigating and conducting a legal assessment of the possibility of implementing a moratorium/amnesty on law enforcement,” the Minister said.
Investing in infrastructure
De Lille said she is a firm believer in government investing in infrastructure development to create an environment conducive for investment by the private sector.
“I gain started working with Infrastructure South Africa (ISA) in this regard and I inspect forward to working with all of you on actions we can seize to grow tourism infrastructure and investment,” De Lille said.
Over 20 African countries are participating in Africa’s Travel Indaba, which is showcasing over 350 tourism products.
This year’s event promises to be a vibrant and diverse representation of Africa’s tourism industry, offering a vast array of unique and exciting offerings that the continent has to offer.
The 2023 edition of Africa’s Travel Indaba brings together stakeholders from across the tourism industry ecosystem, from no less than 1 000 buyers, honest under 1 000 exhibitors, destination marketing bodies, hotel groups, airlines, tour operators and 10 African tourism boards.
There are already 18 625 confirmed meetings on the online diary scheme. – SAnews.gov.za
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