As a result of continued positive growth in inbound visitor numbers from India and China, South African Tourism is all set to recognise the two countries as established tourism markets. While speaking at Africa’s top travel trade fair, INDABA 2012, Thulani Nzima, CEO, South African Tourism, said, “We have witnessed strong growth from India in 2011 and recorded 90,367 Indian arrivals, a 26.2 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2010’s figure of 71 587. We hope to cross the 100,000 mark for tourist arrivals from India in 2012. Such increase in arrivals will give us the rationale to stop using the ‘Emerging Market’ tag for the country, which we shall do very soon, say by 2012 end or 2013.”
He added that South Africa witnessed 84,883 tourist arrivals from China in 2011, a growth of 24.3 per cent compared to the same period in 2010. He also said that South African Tourism shall continue to engage the trade and media for further promotion activities and continue to invest in both China and India. Marthinus van Schalkwyk, Tourism Minister, South Africa, said that India and China registered positive growth in 2011 and continue to remain emerging and core markets for South Africa. He stressed on the importance of the two countries and re-confirmed their contributions to South African Tourism.
Organised to be held over four days (May 12-15, 2012) at Durban ICC, INDABA 2012 has over 1,500 confirmed exhibitors including accommodation providers, airlines, tour operators, car rental companies, tourist attractions and a host of other tourism businesses, around 200 hosted buyers and over 780 media. The theme of the event this year is ‘Shaping our future together’.
While delivering his inaugural speech, Schalkwyk stressed on the need for cooperation to take tourism in Africa forward. “While South Africa’s tourism sector proved its resilience in tough global economic conditions, the industry requires to work with co-opetition (cooperation and competition), which is the new way for the future of tourism. There are some areas where we need to work with our competing international players. Competition brings out the best in all of us, but cooperation is what is urgently needed, especially for the African continent, where we have to work together to remove barriers to international travel and tourism. It is only through strong partnerships and a collective approach that South Africa’s tourism industry will continue to grow. We also need to work towards responsible and sustainable tourism.”
“Tourism is a collaborative business and requires cohesion and partnership from all spheres of the tourism industry, both private and public, to ensure tourism growth. It is necessary to manage the value chain and work in collaboration with all the stakeholders involved,” Nzima added.
Speaking of challenges and hurdles that need to be addressed, Schalkwyk said that taxes such as the United Kingdom air passenger duty and the European Union’s unilateral inclusion of all international flights in their domestic emissions trading scheme (ETS), distort markets and affect passenger numbers and tourism receipts in long-haul, developing-country destinations, and will increasingly do so in the years to come. “We should work with our likeminded partners in other long-haul destinations to fight the aggressive unilateralism with which new taxes on international tourism are imposed. We are working with a number of partners to push for a global solution to replace this patchwork of unilateral measures,” he said.
Schalkwyk also stressed on aviation as a major factor for boosting tourism. He said, “We must unlock the benefits of aviation on our continent, create space for the new-model low-cost airlines, advance competition in the skies, and establish Johannesburg as one of the hubs on the continent as well as the South-South corridor. In all of this, our national carrier, South African Airways, will have an important role to play.”
Setting the target for 2020, Schalkwyk said, “Eight years from now, in 2020, the timeframe of our National Tourism Sector Strategy (NTSS), we want to see 15 million international arrivals for which we will be spending R 218 million in promoting our destination in Africa over the next three years and will ensure a significant presence on the continent, with five offices across Africa within five years. By 2020, we will have implemented an e-visa system that will improve security while also facilitating hassle-free travel.”
Coutesy: travelbizmonitor.com
Crosswoods holidays 2011 ------------------------------------------------------------------------Thank You---Post Your Comments Below---------------------------
He added that South Africa witnessed 84,883 tourist arrivals from China in 2011, a growth of 24.3 per cent compared to the same period in 2010. He also said that South African Tourism shall continue to engage the trade and media for further promotion activities and continue to invest in both China and India. Marthinus van Schalkwyk, Tourism Minister, South Africa, said that India and China registered positive growth in 2011 and continue to remain emerging and core markets for South Africa. He stressed on the importance of the two countries and re-confirmed their contributions to South African Tourism.
Organised to be held over four days (May 12-15, 2012) at Durban ICC, INDABA 2012 has over 1,500 confirmed exhibitors including accommodation providers, airlines, tour operators, car rental companies, tourist attractions and a host of other tourism businesses, around 200 hosted buyers and over 780 media. The theme of the event this year is ‘Shaping our future together’.
While delivering his inaugural speech, Schalkwyk stressed on the need for cooperation to take tourism in Africa forward. “While South Africa’s tourism sector proved its resilience in tough global economic conditions, the industry requires to work with co-opetition (cooperation and competition), which is the new way for the future of tourism. There are some areas where we need to work with our competing international players. Competition brings out the best in all of us, but cooperation is what is urgently needed, especially for the African continent, where we have to work together to remove barriers to international travel and tourism. It is only through strong partnerships and a collective approach that South Africa’s tourism industry will continue to grow. We also need to work towards responsible and sustainable tourism.”
“Tourism is a collaborative business and requires cohesion and partnership from all spheres of the tourism industry, both private and public, to ensure tourism growth. It is necessary to manage the value chain and work in collaboration with all the stakeholders involved,” Nzima added.
Speaking of challenges and hurdles that need to be addressed, Schalkwyk said that taxes such as the United Kingdom air passenger duty and the European Union’s unilateral inclusion of all international flights in their domestic emissions trading scheme (ETS), distort markets and affect passenger numbers and tourism receipts in long-haul, developing-country destinations, and will increasingly do so in the years to come. “We should work with our likeminded partners in other long-haul destinations to fight the aggressive unilateralism with which new taxes on international tourism are imposed. We are working with a number of partners to push for a global solution to replace this patchwork of unilateral measures,” he said.
Schalkwyk also stressed on aviation as a major factor for boosting tourism. He said, “We must unlock the benefits of aviation on our continent, create space for the new-model low-cost airlines, advance competition in the skies, and establish Johannesburg as one of the hubs on the continent as well as the South-South corridor. In all of this, our national carrier, South African Airways, will have an important role to play.”
Setting the target for 2020, Schalkwyk said, “Eight years from now, in 2020, the timeframe of our National Tourism Sector Strategy (NTSS), we want to see 15 million international arrivals for which we will be spending R 218 million in promoting our destination in Africa over the next three years and will ensure a significant presence on the continent, with five offices across Africa within five years. By 2020, we will have implemented an e-visa system that will improve security while also facilitating hassle-free travel.”
Coutesy: travelbizmonitor.com
Crosswoods holidays 2011 ------------------------------------------------------------------------Thank You---Post Your Comments Below---------------------------
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