BRICS partners visit SA for business, not pleasure

Political turmoil did not disrupt tourism sector

SOUTH Africa’s fellow member states in the BRICS grouping have made significant inroads in its tourism industry, generating business and economic growth, accounting firm PwC said yesterday.

South Africa is hosting the 10th BRICS summit this week.

PwC said that compared to other foreign visitors, visitors from Brazil, Russia, India and China had a lower propensity to visit South Africa for leisure, with the majority of them coming for business and investment purposes.

About a third of total tourist expenditure in South Africa was associated with business-related travel, with the remainder leisure-related.

An economic assessment had shown that visitors from the other BRICS nations supported about 26 000 South African jobs in 2016, PwC said.

“South Africa is a much-desired destination among the BRICS nations. Tourism supports more than 1.6 million jobs in South Africa and accounts for more than 9% of the country’s gross domestic product,” said PwC economist Christie Viljoen.

He said the recent economic and political turmoil in South Africa – which culminated in former president Jacob Zuma stepping down in February – had not hindered or affected the influx of foreign visitors into the country.

PwC estimates show that visitors from the other BRICS nations spend about R3 billion a year while in South Africa, through activity generated by industries such as hotels, travel agents, airlines, passenger transportation services, as well as restaurants and other leisure activities.

Tourist arrivals from the BRICS nations increased by 6.1% in 2017. The easing of visa requirements for the other BRICS countries in recent years has added to increased arrivals.

Meanwhile, the South African National Civics Organisation (Sanco) said it hoped the 10th BRICS Summit would explore ways to mitigate the threat that the US-led trade war posed to emerging economies.

Sanco spokesperson Jabu Mahlangu said the invitation extended to African leaders to participate in the summit would promote intra-trade on the continent and shared benefits for BRICS trade partners. – African News Agency (ANA) See pages 7 and 9

PICTURE: NTSWE MOKOENA MEET AND GREET: Dr Tshepo Motsepe, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s wife, and Peng Liyuan, wife of Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China, visit the Uthando Daycare Centre in Mamelodi yesterday.