Question NW870 to the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture
04 October 2019 - NW870
Faber, Mr WF to ask the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture
Does his department conduct surveys on sports tourism to evaluate its impact on the South African economy; if not, why not; if so, (a) how are the impact studies done and (b) what were the outcomes of the surveys for the (i) 2016-17, (ii) 2017-18 and (iii) 2018-19 financial years?
Reply:
The Department does not conduct surveys on sports tourism.
Reason: The nature of the survey would require that a broad spectrum of industries such as hospitality, be surveyed to ascertain the reason their clients were in the country (inbound tourism) or in another province (tourism within the country by residents/citizens). However, to ensure that reliable and accurate information is collected, such industries must have recorded their clients’ reasons for the visit. When one goes to a hotel for example, they are not asked the reason for the visit.
While the survey is important, conducting it would require resources that match its broad nature and the acknowledgement that most information may not be readily available.