Johannesburg - South Africa is serious about addressing safety. Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille urged citizens to refrain from scoring an own goal by speaking badly about the country.
De Lille was speaking at the official launch of the summer season campaign aimed at inspiring Mzansi and the world to travel more and explore the country at Pabala Private Nature Reserve in the Eastern Cape on Tuesday.
The event was in partnership with the Department of Tourism and in partnership with SA Tourism, the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency, along with the greater tourism sector.
In addressing safety, De Lille said they acknowledged the legitimate concerns that had arisen due to unfortunate incidents involving tourists.
In 2022, a German tourist was shot and killed by ruthless criminals in Mpumalanga.
De Lille revealed that since the incident, private security and SAPS patrol there on a 24-hour basis. “We want to provide unequivocal assurance to the public, domestic travellers and those planning visits to our country in the near future that we are vigorously advancing our efforts to enhance safety for all.”
She said their strategy encompassed a range of initiatives, including substantial investments in technology and human resources.
“I am delighted to announce that we have earmarked R174.5 million for the training of over 2 300 tourism monitors nationwide during this financial year; 150 of the tourism monitors will be deployed to the Eastern Cape in addition to those that will be deployed to airports and national parks.”
De Lille said the monitors would be strategically deployed to all provinces before the peak summer season starts to assist in safeguarding top tourist attractions and national parks.
Their responsibilities include patrolling identified attractions, promoting tourism awareness, providing essential information to tourists and promptly reporting any criminal incidents to SAPS and other pertinent enforcement agencies.
“These young individuals will receive an NQF 3 certification and additional training from the SAPS. Their deployment is scheduled for late October to early November, perfectly aligning with the upcoming summer tourist season,” she said.
De Lille said a strong move from the private sector to enhance tourism safety was the “Secura app”, which has been launched by the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA).
The app seamlessly connects travellers and tourism stakeholders with a multitude of emergency service providers, ensuring swift assistance when every second counts. To manage this technology, TBCSA has set up a dedicated Tourism Operations Centre.
“We have also collaborated with SAPS to develop tourist safety tips conveniently accessible via a QR-code scan,” said De Lille.
She encouraged locals to be more hospitable and welcoming.
“I’d like to passionately encourage each one of us to embrace the spirit of hospitality towards all visitors, be they from our own nation or from abroad. Let us treat people the way we want to be treated. Whether we are locals, tourism establishment owners, or restaurant owners and staff. Let respect, love and Ubuntu lead us.
“South Africa has always been renowned for the genuine warmth of her people, a sentiment beautifully embodied in the concept of Ubuntu.”
The minister added that international travel was also making a robust comeback, with promising statistics reported by StatsSA.
“From January to July, a total of 4.8 million international tourists arrived in South Africa, signifying a remarkable 70.6% surge compared with the same period in 2022. While this resurgence is undoubtedly encouraging, it’s important to note that these figures still lag behind the pre-pandemic levels of 2019 by a 19% shortfall. However, we are encouraged by these figures. Within this 4.8 million arrivals, the African region has the biggest share, while Europe played a significant role, contributing 14.3% (equivalent to 682 828) of the total tourists.
The Star