tourism

Tourism Deputy Minister Fish Mahlalela says government places tourism high on its agenda for sustainable growth and job creation. “The South African government to date, signed a Memorandum of Understanding/Agreements with 27 countries across the globe, and continue to negotiate others with the aim to strengthen bilateral relations in the field of tourism,” Mahlalela said. Speaking at the official opening of the three-day Tourism Best Practice workshop currently underway in Kempton Park, near … [Read more...] about Government places tourism high on its agenda

Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane has noted with concern the report on the decline in the number of tourists visiting South Africa. The figures released in Tourism and Migration September 2019 by Statistics SA revealed that the total number of tourist arrivals (7 562 743) went down by -2.1% (-164 989) for the period January to September 2019, compared to the same period in 2018 (7 727 732). “The major impact on the numbers has been the concerns around the safety and security of … [Read more...] about Confirmed – Tourist Numbers to SA Down

Editor: It is said that 80% of any businesses business comes from 20% of it's clients and that in tough times it is more productive to cement relationships and look for sales from existing clients rather than breaking into new markets. In the light of the above: Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane will next week visit China and Japan as the country intensifies efforts to grow arrivals from the Asia Pacific region. South Africa is open for business and remains an appealing … [Read more...] about Admirable, BUT, what about our traditional markets?

On World Tourism Day we would be well advised to note: Travel and tourism remained one of the key growth drivers of Africa's economy, contributing 8.5% of the GDP in 2018; equivalent to $194.2 billion. According to the 2019 Jumia Hospitality Report Africa, this growth record placed the continent as the second-fastest growing tourism region in the world, with a growth rate of 5.6% after Asia Pacific and against a 3.9% global average growth rate. “Our focus is to continue showcasing Africa … [Read more...] about The 2nd fastest growing tourism region in the world

As one intimately involved with the ebb and flow of tourists into our city I can attest that this year has been challenging in terms of the drop in foreign tourist numbers to Port Elizabeth, Nelson Mandela Bay. Couple that with the largely negative business sentiment, persistent rumours that we are going to lose one or more VERY LARGE employers in the not too distant future and my outlook for the survival of this place that we all know and love and are proud to call home is understandably on … [Read more...] about Hug a Tourist Today on World Tourism Day

Despite the prevailing tough economic conditions putting pressure on disposable income, South Africans are still traveling and touring local destinations. According to the annual review by the World Travel & Tourism Council, travel and tourism in South Africa contributed R425.8bn to the economy in 2018, representing 8.6% of all economic activity in the country. An estimated 44% of the tourism spend came from international travellers and 56% from domestic travel. Charnel Kara, Tourism … [Read more...] about Domestic tourism still poised for growth

The Department of Tourism has announced the opening of the final application window in the current budget cycle for the Tourism Transformation Fund (TTF) and the Green Tourism Incentive Programme (GTIP). The application window is now open for a period of seven months until 31 March 2020. All eligible tourism enterprises are urged to submit fully completed application forms within the timeframe and in accordance with the requirements of the TTF and GTIP programmes. Incomplete applications … [Read more...] about Applications for tourism funding now open

Despite the prevailing tough economic environment, the tourism industry in South Africa continues to provide a glimmer of hope, as one of the sectors that will continue to boost growth and job creation this year. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), tourism is the fastest growing sector in South Africa and contributes close to 9% to South Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP) and over 1,6 million people are employed in this sector. Marcel Klaassen, FNB Business … [Read more...] about 2019’s Tourism trends to look out for