The Tourism Business Council of South Africa has agreed on an ‘interaction’ with the tourism industry in the future to drive inclusive growth through accelerated transformation in the sector.
This follows a presentation by the TBCSA to the Portfolio Committee on Tourism (PCoT) on Tuesday (June 9). The presentation focused mainly on the Tourism Recovery Strategy but the committee also highlighted the need for accelerated transformation in the sector.
“During this sixth Parliament, the committee will focus on the transformation of the tourism sector to ensure a non-racial South Africa, and therefore urges TBCSA to ensure that transformation happens in all aspects of the tourism value chain,” said PCoT Chairperson, Supra Mahumapelo.
The committee acknowledged the tourism sector’s massive contribution to job creation (employing 1,5 million people), that it represented 8,6% of GDP, and R120 billion in foreign exchange earnings.
Supra made a further call for the TBCSA to focus its marketing strategy on promoting tourism in villages, townships and small ‘dorpies’ in South Africa.
“This will ensure that the tourism sector benefits all the citizens of South Africa and contributes in dealing with the inequalities that exist between urban and village communities,” he said.
Ceo of the TBCSA, Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa, said the presentation to the Tourism Portfolio Committee was an important step in the shoulder-to-shoulder collaboration that private and public sector stakeholders had agreed was needed for tourism to reopen and contribute to South Africa’s economic and job creation prospects.
“We acknowledge the good work being done by Government to get tourism back on track. Tourism is a vital sector of South Africa’s economy and accounts for 1,5 million jobs. Many of those employed are young people,” he said.
