Question NW3025 to the Minister of Tourism
21 October 2022 - NW3025
Sithole, Mr KP to ask the Minister of Tourism
In light of the reports that tourists from African states, especially Zimbabwe, have been the largest number of visitors to the Republic, what (a) impact will the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit that will be cancelled in 2023 have on tourism and (b) measures has her department, along with Department of Home Affairs, put in place to mitigate any downscaling of tourism from Zimbabwe?
Reply:
(a) The Zimbabwe Exemption Permits are for Zimbabwean nationals to work in South Africa. Thus, permit holders are not tourists and decisions related to such permits should not have a direct bearing on tourism, if anything, as those who would still want to come to South Africa for shopping in particular post the validity period of their permits would add to tourist numbers as they would not be coming for work but as tourists.
(b) The biggest source of arrivals for South Africa In the 2020/21 financial year was the Africa region with 2,3 million arrivals. South African Tourism, which is an entity of the Department, continues to drive its marketing efforts in the Africa Land markets to:
- Encourage repeat travelers to visit more frequently by providing relevant value for money deals and discounts that show new, fun and varied experience.
- Activate deal driven campaigns through social media, digital advertising and radio platforms.
- Reprioritise the distribution channels to build their knowledge and familiarity of South Africa’s leisure and business event experiences through reinvented tools and platforms that are in line with the evolution of the consumer.