Ease red tape for tourism to bloom

There might not be much to be proud of in South Africa currently, but when it comes to tourism, this country has an offering which is one of the best in the world. We have wild Africa, beautiful beaches, mountain ranges, Table Mountain and the Cape winelands, as well as a rich history – both pre- and post-apartheid. It is a kaleidoscope of experiences which few other countries can match.

This is one of the geese that can lay the golden eggs for our economy and, because tourism is not only sustainable and renewable, it is a natural resource which can have a virtually unlimited lifespan.

It is a generator of money, both in rands and in foreign currency and is a creator of jobs.

But we must not kid ourselves: South Africa is not the only tourism game in town, especially for foreigners. There are many other countries closer to the main markets of Europe, North America and Asia – which means the airfares to get there are lower than they are to travel here.

In addition, air traffic has not nearly recovered to its pre-Covid levels. This is noticeable in inbound flights from abroad, but even more so in domestic air travel, where the number of seats available on local routes has declined, following the closure of Comair and its British Airways franchise operation here.

Additional choke points for local tourism are the inexplicable delays and inefficiencies by home affairs in issuing visas to foreigners – but especially visitors from India and China, which are the fastest growing outbound tourism markets in the world.

Like water, tourists flow whether the path is easiest. The government needs to make South Africa not only an attractive destination to visit, but one which is uncomplicated. Then we’ll have a fighting chance of making tourism a major national pillar.