Holiday plan for low-cost getaways

Under the revised regulations implemented in mid-2014, tourists to South Africa have to apply in person for visas. Photo: Ross Jansen

Under the revised regulations implemented in mid-2014, tourists to South Africa have to apply in person for visas. Photo: Ross Jansen

Published May 14, 2013

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Durban - South African Tourism is to start making holidays available to people who cannot afford to go away.

“To truly deliver on the promise of tourism, we have to create the conditions that render the tourism experience and the treasures of our country accessible to a much greater share of our population,” Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk said when he opened the Indaba trade show at the Durban ICC on Saturday night.

SA Tourism and the Industrial Development Corporation have commissioned an audit of under-utilised state assets and properties that could be developed into tourist attractions and facilities, he said.

“It is simply wrong to have state resources stand vacant while there is a demand in certain market segments. We have also commissioned a feasibility study for a pilot budget resort chain which could in some or other way be derisked through partnership approaches, aimed at an underserved market segment of would-be travellers earning less that R5 000 a month.

“The time has come to remove the final barriers to fully unlock our country’s tourism treasures and the intrinsic value of travel for all South Africans, thereby bolstering our contribution to job creation and poverty alleviation.”

The minister was applauded when he said it was time to modernise and expand Indaba to transform it into a pan-African trade platform.

“Let’s not resent each other’s success: instead, let’s grow off the success of each other.”

SA Tourism was going to roll out a global hub strategy with a wider reach than ever before, identifying core, investment and tactical markets across regional Africa, the Americas, Asia and Australasia as well as Europe.

Fully-fledged offices were also be opened in Brazil, Angola, Kenya and Nigeria, and the marketing body would further expand its presence and partnerships with the trade in South Korea, Russia, Scandinavia, Shanghai in China, Uganda, Ghana and Tanzania.

Tourism had come a long way since the pre-democracy days of 1993 when there were just over 3.4 million international visitors to the country. By contrast, there were more than 13 million international arrivals in 2012, of which 9.2 million were from overseas.

The overall international tourist arrivals growth was 10.2 percent, he said, noting it was against an average global industry growth of 4 percent.

“But, of course, this did not just fall into our laps. We had to work harder than ever to sustain growth and encourage prospective travellers to act on the seed of inspiration we had sown through our various branding and marketing endeavours.”

Earlier, at another function, he said Indaba delegates he had spoken to during his walkabouts were in a buoyant and optimistic mood. - Daily News

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