THINK PIECE
home — along with listening to local advice as to where to go and where not to go, there’s absolutely no reason why a visit to South Africa shouldn’t be completely safe and trouble-free.
Tolene van der Merwe, hub head for the UK & Ireland, South African Tourism: A common misconception is that South Africa is an expensive destination. While the country has an amazing luxury product offering, it also delivers incredible value-for-money and has a diverse range of accommodation options and experiences. The 2018 Post Office
Worldwide Barometer ranked Cape Town as the fifth best- value destination, even more affordable than the Costa del Sol. So, value-for-money in South Africa is a theme that we’ll continue promoting during 2019 through our trade and consumer campaigns.
What specific challenges need to be addressed to grow South Africa’s tourism industry? Chris Mears: South Africa needs to remain competitive both regionally and globally. From a price perspective, South Africa represents fantastic value for money. The destination must also remain competitive in its product offering and this must continually develop. I’m continually seeing new products coming into the market, which helps to
encourage repeat visitors and widen the destination’s appeal. Furthermore, it’s vital that airlift is able to increase as the more flights there are, the easier it is for tourists to arrive. Finally, barriers need to be
removed. The recent change in immigration regulations around the need for minors travelling with their parents from visa-free countries (like the UK) being required to travel with birth certificates is a very positive step forward.
Tolene van der Merwe: It’s important we support small to medium enterprises in addition to supporting larger established businesses. Tourism is one of the focus
areas in the South African Government’s Nine Point Plan to reignite growth so South Africa’s economy can create much-needed jobs. To achieve this, South Africa’s tourism sector needs to adopt a developmental and capacity- building approach to thrive, and this must come from the industry as a whole. In staying true to the
economic inclusivity and transformation agenda, South African Tourism continuously forges partnerships with various organisations that provide SMMEs (small, medium and micro enterprises) with the intensive training, mentoring and upskilling required to help make their business grow. We’re very fortunate in that South Africa has an incredibly
“SOUTH AFRICA NEEDS TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE REGIONALLY AND ALSO GLOBALLY”
diverse product offering so there’s always something new and exciting for travellers to experience. One of our tourism goals is to encourage geographical spread by showcasing some of the ‘hidden gems’ and amazing places to visit outside the typical tourist trail. To do this, connectivity with the UK is key. The increase in airlift will significantly grow tourism to the destination. The launch of British Airways’
new direct flight from Heathrow to Durban will open up an array of opportunities for tourists to travel to KwaZulu-Natal and the surrounding areas. We look forward to the future prospect of additional flight routes launching from the UK to South Africa, which will allow easy accessibility to other, lesser- visited provinces.
What are the biggest opportunities for tourism in South Africa? Chris Mears: If each visitor increased their length of stay by a couple of days, this would have a huge impact overall.
SOUTHAFRICA .NET
Currently one in 22 people in the workforce in South Africa are employed in tourism, making it a key driver of the economy. South Africa has more than 1,600 miles of coastline, with some amazing beaches and water activities, yet internationally it’s not seen as a beach destination. So many destinations that South Africa competes with make the most of their coastal tourism, so why not add a few days on and spend some time at the beach? We should also maximise on the opportunities within ‘bleisure’ tourism, where travellers mix business with pleasure. Finally, we must ensure a visit to South Africa is as barrier-free as possible.
Tolene van der Merwe: South African Tourism is focused on promoting its six main themes: wildlife and safari; culture and heritage; city lifestyle; food and wine; active adventure; and breathtaking scenery. Our ‘Meet your South Africa’
campaign focuses on connecting travellers with the people of South Africa, highlighting a selection of our most charismatic tour guides, with the aim to increase visitation. A significant number of the guides we’re working with are from black-owned, black- managed SMMEs, so we’re also shining a light on smaller businesses so travellers can support them and, in turn, support the local economy.
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