FREE DAILY EMAIL

Date : 10/06/2004
Source: Ministry of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
Title: M van Schalkwyk: Launch of Sho't Left campaign


KEYNOTE SPEECH BY MARTHINUS VAN SCHALKWYK, MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS AND TOURISM, AT GUGA S'THEBE ART AND CULTURAL CENTRE, Langa, Cape Town, 10 June 2004


SHO'T LEFT: DOMESTIC TOURISM MARKETING CAMPAIGN OPENS DOORS


Molweni. Kumnandi kum ukuba sibe lapha eLanga, namhlanje. (Good day. It's great to be here in Langa)

For too long tourism in South Africa has been something that most South African communities have heard about, but had little first-hand experience of. We must open up tourism to all South Africans. Kufuneka sivulele ukhenketho kubo bonke abemi boMzantsi-Afrika. Sicela abemi boMzantsi-Afrika balikhenkethe rhoqo kwilizwe lethu. (We want South Africans to travel more in our own country.)

For too long our people have seen streams of visitors from Europe, America, Asia and other African countries flocking to our shores and experiencing, in a few days, more of our incredible country than most South Africans see in a lifetime. International tourists are important but local tourists are just as important.

We want the people of communities like Langa to know the beauty of a Kruger Park sunset. We want the people of Chatsworth to experience the waters of our Atlantic coast. We want families from Alexandra to walk the paths of ancient elephants in the Knysna forests. We want the children of Klerksdorp, Bonteheuwel, and Prieska to join our Dutch, German, and English visitors exploring the mysteries of the Cango Caves, the Drakensberg, and the Great Karoo. We want South Africans to travel more in our own country.

Tydens Inbada 2004 het ons die Plaaslike Toerisme Groei-strategie geloods. Die Sho't Left bemarkingsveldtog gee 'n openbare gesig en stem aan hierdie strategie - om sodoende bekostigbare vakansies vir Suid-Afrikaners in Suid-Afrika te bevorder.

Apart from the importance of building pride and expanding the ownership of South African tourism in every community, this new local tourism focus makes great business sense. Our research has shown that the domestic tourism market is already worth about R49 billion - only 13% less than the value of the international tourism market.

Although our local tourists spend less per visit, there are up to six times more potential local travellers. It is estimated that there is an emerging group of over 6,3 million South Africans with the resources and the desire to travel, but most never do because they believe it is unaffordable, or that there are not many holiday options that appeal to them within South Africa.

When our people do travel locally, it tends to be over short distances. Six out of every ten South Africans travel only within their own province, and of those who do venture more widely, 60% travel only to three provinces - KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, and the Eastern Cape. Despite the fact that the Western Cape is home to eight of South Africa's Ten Most Popular Tourist Attractions, the province ranks only fourth in terms of attracting domestic travellers.

Sifuna abakhenkethi abaza kuhlala ixesha elide, bachithe imali bahambele iindawo ezintsha. (We need more tourists, who stay longer, spend more, and travel to new areas.) We know the challenges that we must face together. We must work to provide our people - in every community - with information about the travel and tourism opportunities in South Africa. We must break the misconception that holiday travel is not affordable for the average South African, and guard against overpricing tourism products. We must package and promote holiday options that appeal to non-traditional tourism markets. Most importantly, we must offer our domestic tourists the same warm welcome, the same uncompromising levels of service, and the same enthusiasm that we offer our international visitors. A tourist is a tourist, no matter where they call home.

The benefits of increasing domestic tourism are clear. Ukhenketho eMzantsi-Afrika lingokudala imisebenzi kubantu bethu. (Tourism in South Africa is about creating jobs for our people.) Apart from more jobs and greater income for our communities, domestic tourism also holds the key to long-term tourism success. The foundation of the industry in leading tourism nations like France, Italy and Spain, is robust domestic tourism. These nations rely on their local markets to an even greater extent than on international visitors.

In recent years our country has benefited from global security concerns, which have seen international travellers looking for holiday and business destinations that are considered to be less risky. We have also benefited from a comparatively weaker currency, although that trend has already begun to reverse. The same international trends can just as easily turn against countries like South Africa, with potentially devastating effects on international arrivals and our tourism sector. A strong culture of domestic holiday travel is a powerful hedge against such changes in the international market, and a guarantee of sustainable economic growth.

Another upside of domestic tourism growth is the impact that it will have on our international tourism market. As domestic growth increases, international demand will also rise, and South Africans from all communities will be better tourism ambassadors for our country, being more familiar themselves with our many tourism products. We are developing a welcoming tourism culture.

The challenge has been made. It is now up to the role-players represented here today to meet that challenge. Government in all spheres, SA Tourism, and our industry and media partners must work together to drive our domestic marketing brand. Sho't Left is the sustainable future of tourism in South Africa. We must show together that our industry belongs to all South Africans. Ukhenketho lolomntu wonke woMzantsi-Afrika oMnyama, oMhlophe, abeBala nama-Indiya, amadoda, nabafazi. (Tourism belongs to all South Africans, black, white, coloured and Indian, men and women.) Toerisme behoort aan alle Suid-Afrikaners, swart, wit, bruin en Indi

SPONSORED BY

Advanced