The global tourism industry might have hit a general lull, but that trend is not resonant in South Africa. The country’s Tourism Minister, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, said that the tourism sector is currently “strong” and “resilient”. The statement came at the launch of South Africa’s Tourism Month last week in Johannesburg. “Globally, tourism is in serious trouble because of the financial crisis, but in South Africa the picture continues to look good and the numbers are impressive,” he said. The “numbers” van Schalkwyk refers to are the 2012 Q1 figures for inbound tourism, which consisted of more than five million domestic trips. These trips bought in R5.2 billion to the country’s economy – a 13% increase on the same period from 2011. South Africa’s tourism boom seems to have continued past Q1 and throughout the rest of the year so far; last month news was also released that the country’s accommodation industry saw a 13.4 percent increase in its total income on the same month last year. Overall for Q2, income rose by over 11 percent when compared to the same period in 2011.

Domestic

The majority of the increase in tourism has come from domestic tourists. Although international tourism into South Africa has also seen a rise, it is those from within the African market that are presenting the country with the most opportunity. It seems the trend of being a ‘local tourist’ is picking up in South Africa, and this is something van Schalkwyk wants to tap into. He said of the continent, “For us it is the market of the future. South Africa understands how important the African continent is, we can and we must do a lot more on the continent.”

Fastest growth

Domestic tourism was hailed South Africa’s fastest growing sector over 2012, contributing a huge number of jobs and bringing some much-needed security to the country’s economy. Van Schalkwyk wants to promote the creation of a nation of “tourism ambassadors” who can help the industry to grow further. “When domestic tourism grows, we create a nation of tourism ambassadors who are knowledgeable and speak positively about our destination, who warmly welcome foreign tourists, and are helpful when they need to meet visitors,” he said. "Well-travelled locals can easily and confidently recommend to both foreign tourists and fellow South Africans the best places to visit in South Africa for the best local experiences." To kick off this initiative, the Tourism Minister has launched the “Vaya Mzansi” campaign, which offers more than 2.5 million special deals to domestic tourists on hotels, leisure and entertainment throughout South Africa.

Nigerian relations

One of the main countries that are top of South Africa’s list of opportunity is neighboring Nigeria. Arrivals into South Africa from Nigeria increased by 28.7% in the first third of 2012, and growth in 2011 increased by 28.7% in total. “Nigeria is a major growth market for our destination,” van Schalkwyk said. “Nigeria is an extremely important partner of ours, and one of the countries that are critical to our plans for further regional African tourism growth.”

Vertical markets

Many vertical markets are seeing a knock-on effect of South Africa’s tourism boom. The car sales and rental industry, for example, has seen a very positive increase in demand. It was recently reported that the car sales industry in South Africa had seen an increase in revenue, due to higher numbers of orders from the rentals industry; rental companies have had to grow their fleets as holiday-makers and business visitors' flock to rent a car for their trips. Other sectors such as hotels, travel agents, entertainment and lifestyle can also expect to reap the rewards of a healthy travel industry in the coming years.

Booming conference industry

South Africa’s tourism industry also looks set to benefit directly from the country’s growing economic prowess and stability. An emerging business destination, South Africa has also secured more than 200 large-scale international conferences over the next five years, which van Schalkwyk hailed as another significant boost for the economy. He estimates the conferences will attract around 300,000 delegates, bringing in around R1.6 billion. Van Schalkwyk announced earlier this summer that he wanted to continue South Africa’s quest to attract more business and leisure visitors by bringing in new targets; he wants to increase the average number of delegates attending international conventions from 54,000 in 2012 to 78,000 by 2017. “These are targets we can reach,” he states. However, this will include improving infrastructure, enhancing air travel – especially from other African countries, and streamlining visas.

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