The government is working with the tourism sector to promote collaboration and help it recover from the impact of Covid-19, says Deputy Tourism Minister Fish Mahlalela.
The pandemic had hit the tourism value chain hard and restricted the movement of people, he said.
Speaking at Africa’s Travel and Tourism Summit’s SMME Day, he said the Department of Tourism had intervened to help revive small tourism businesses in townships and rural areas that were crucial to the sector.
“SMMEs can aid in the sector’s return to pre-Covid performance levels and its long-term growth trajectory. The Tourism Sector Recovery Plan also makes provision for the establishment of a support hub to provide non-financial support to tourism businesses so as to increase the resilience of SMMEs during the pandemic and beyond.”
He said the success of Africa’s tourism sector during Covid-19 would hinge on increased collaboration among all in the industry.
The summit was aimed at reviving Africa’s tourism industry, after more than a year of dormancy due to the pandemic.
“For all of us to succeed, we can no longer do business in silos. The new tourism sector calls for greater collaboration between government and the private sector, as well as between the governments of Africa,” he said.
BUSINESS REPORT