The increasing success of small tourism businesses in South Africa in the past two years confirms that the sector is emerging from the impact of worldwide recession, according to the annual report of the Tourism Enterprise Partnership (TEP), released yesterday.
Pointing out that there has been “remarkable growth in tourism to South Africa, outstripping that in the rest of the world”, the report says tourism grew at a rate of 10.2 percent last year compared with 9.2 percent in 2011, and more than double the rate of 4.2 percent forecast by the UN’s World Tourism Organisation.
Minister of Tourism Marthinus van Schalkwyk said: “We look to TEP as one of our key implementing partners and custodian of enterprise development in this vital part of the industry.”
The report says that TEP provided support to more than 3 600 small tourism businesses – 1 421 of them in rural areas.
The help given ranged from skills development and funding to market access.
It resulted in helping businesses registered with TEP to create and sustain 4 901 additional jobs and increase revenue from the sector to R775 million.
During the year, TEP provided training to 1 261 enterprises and mentored 104. – Audrey D’Angelo