Please listen to what we in our country’s tourism trenches have to say, Andrew Russell urges Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba.
Dear Minister
I am sure you are only too well aware of the chaos and disruption in the mining industry at present. And the ensuing shambles in the manufacturing industry. So can I remind you of the one industry that is currently flourishing in this country – tourism?
A weak rand, a recovering global economy, a growing desire for groups such as Chinese and Indian tourists to discover South Africa – all of these factors make this industry the shining light of our economy.
The news that Cape Town was ranked as the top holiday destination for the year by British newspaper The Guardian and the US’s The New York Times was welcomed by us all. We are receiving so many international accolades – we are now truly on the world’s tourism map. Despite the long-haul nature of our country, tourists are flocking here in ever-increasing numbers.
And now, just as we are starting to reap the rewards of all our investments, marketing and years of blood, sweat and tears, you decide to impose your new draconian Home Affairs laws: any child travelling to or from South Africa must have an unabridged birth certificate and both parents’ passport copies; and for single parents an affidavit from the other parent. We are the only country in the entire world that now requires minors to travel with their birth certificate.
Plus now we are faced with the implementation of in-person biometric visas. In India there are only two South African visa centres – one in Mumbai and one in Delhi.
People living outside these two cities will have to travel there, do the application in person, stay overnight, and fly home – adding an impossible extra expense to their trip. The result is obvious: people will simply not be prepared to travel to South Africa – these new barriers to entry are already forcing them to choose other destinations in an already highly competitive global tourism industry.
Already these countries are withdrawing South Africa from their tourism offerings for next year – stating that it is simply becoming too expensive and laborious to get their clients here.
The South African tourism industry is a strange beast – there are some massive players and at the same time, there are thousands of small businesses.
These are often one or two-person operations; tour guides, tour operators, tourism marketing companies, bed and breakfast owners, souvenir vendors, restaurant owners.
The direct and indirect tourism spend is often difficult to calculate – the amount tourists spend at restaurants, wine farms, buying souvenirs at Greenmarket Square – it all adds up to billions of rand every year.
I am one such small business owner in this industry. I have worked flat out for 14 years to establish my business, credibility and reputation.
But now you come along and impose these barbaric laws – which will have a direct negative effect on my business – and just about every other small owner-run and managed tourism business.
I am begging you, please consult with our travel and tourism bodies such as Satsa, Asata, Fedhasa. Listen to what people like me have to say.
We are on the ground; in the tourism trenches. We devote our lives to this industry because we love what we do and are passionate about our country.
Try to understand that we are all aware of the person trafficking issues in the world.
But please, Minister, understand that by passing these laws you are placing a massive burden on the very industry in this country which employs thousands of people and generates billions of rand.
Please listen to us and work with us, for the good of every South African.
Andrew Russell
Newlands
* The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Newspapers.
Cape Times