How SA can win back its global mojo: Tourism Red Tape Initiative

Source: Fin24, 12/01/2016

It makes sense (of sorts) that tourism in South Africa today attracts
far more foreign exchange than gold mining, once the mainstay of the
South African economy. And that special tourism markets that have
developed, including medical tourism, continue to benefit the economy.
And while the complicated visa documents requirements for travellers
with minor children could have put a real damper on the industry, all
the signs are that the red tape involved hasn`t – even if more by luck
than good judgment, and the ever weakening Rand that makes South
Africa even more of a desirable destination. Here, tourism lecturer at
Tshwane University of Technology Unathi Sonwabile Henama makes the
case for a full-on Tourism Red Tape Initiative by the government to
identify bottlenecks that impede the growth of tourism as a bottom-
ups approach from each municipality to province, and work towards a
national strategy. That will only increase the goodwill out there, and
ensure that this country`s natural beauty and hospitable people
continue to draw maximum benefit from hosting travellers from all
corners of the globe. – Marika Sboros


By Unathi Sonwabile Henama*
When the White Paper on the Promotion and Development of Tourism in
South Africa was adopted in 1996, it was envisioned that there would
be a separate Ministry of Tourism. After the 2009, President Jacob
Zuma announced a separate Ministry and Department of Tourism so that
tourism can get dedicated attention.


Tourism has been growing since 1994 and its contribution to the Gross
Domestic Product will increase – if steps and strategies are put in
place to grow tourism.


Tourism today attracts more foreign exchange than gold mining, which
was once the mainstay of the South African economy. There are several
special tourism markets that are benefiting the economy such as
medical tourism that has ensured that there is less brain drain from
medical professionals.


The 2010 World Cup was able to bring in many visitors to South Africa
that have seen our beautiful land and took back the memories to their
respective countries. All corners of the world know South Africa and
the country has benefited with a positive image. We even had a better
World Cup than Brazil, and our stadium are theatres of beauty. South
Africa is really a country of winners, but from time to time,
reflection is imperative.


Visa cloud`s silver lining
2015 was possibly the best year for tourism in South Africa, though it
might not have appeared so on the surface. The fact that the visa
regulations were implemented led to a national conversation about the
tourism industry that has never occurred before. As the saying goes,
every cloud had a silver lining. This allowed for intense lobbying by
the tourism industry and for once tourism became national news.



The magic of the African bush is one of SA`s greatest assets.


Picture: FACEBOOK


Not only that, the Ministry of Tourism had a new minister, who had to
handle the objections of the industry with his counterpart at the
Ministry of Home Affairs. The national debate indicated the importance
of tourism as an economic sector and for once people understood what
were studied at school.


The President mentioned during his State of the Nation Address that he
would look at this visa conversation, and he later established an
inter-ministerial committee that made recommendations to the mutual
benefit of both departments.


I appreciate the intense reflection that was a by product of the
national discourse of the visa regulations. The adoption of
tourism-led local economic development in South Africa has highlighted
the importance of this sector. The inclusion of tourism in the
National Development Plan is commendable; tourism is the future for
South Africa.


I am however of the opinion that the tourism sector must engage on a
tourism red tape initiative (TRTI). The aim of the TRTI is to identify
bottlenecks that impede the growth of tourism as a bottom- ups
approach from each municipality to province, towards a national TRTI
strategy.


This would be a collaborative process between the three levels of the
state, the private sector and other stakeholders. It would be
tourism`s own NDP.


Regional tourism perspective
There are some pressing national issues such as the long delays at
Beit Bridge that has a negative impact on the regional tourism.
The fact that domestic airlines must be 75% owned by South Africans,
prevents FDI into the domestic aviation space, limiting aviation
competition. This would allow niche aviation players that would fly to
destinations such as Queenstown, Moria, and Clarens just to name a few
cities with potential.


There are several airports in Gauteng that must be developed to be
international airports.


The TRTI would give speed to the re-evaluation of the Department of
Transport`s Airlift Strategy. The fact that Wonderboom Airport in
Tshwane is not at the level of OR Tambo International Airport still
makes me to scratch my head in disbelief. Naturally when travellers
fly overseas, they take pleasure to arrive and descend at the
capital city of a country. These are some of the things the TRTI would
have to engage on.


Today the people of Brandfort are affected by the challenges of
poverty, unemployment and inequality, whilst the tourism potential of
having a Winnie Mandela shrine is not exploited.
The people of Port St John see thousands of visitors but the locals
have little or no stake in the existing tourism industry. The people
of the Vaal, with their immense struggle history remain destitute,
whilst the tourism potential is not exploited.


The people of QwaQwa, Botshabelo and other former TBVC states have not
packaged the past for tourism consumption, and there is immense
potential for promoting cultural tourism from this history. More could
have been done to develop the Bawa Falls in Butterworth and the Tsitsa
Falls around Maclear. These are possible conversations that we in 2016
must learn to engage on.


Let us start the tourism national discourse.


- Unathi Sonwabile Henama lectures in tourism at the Tshwane
University of Technology and writes in his personal capacity.