Question NW3829 to the Minister of Tourism

Reply:

How is SA Tourism (a) packaging messages around incidents such as the murder of a Ukranian tourist in 2018 and the recent murder of a German tourist

a) South African Tourism has regularly kept all (domestic and international) trade partners and stakeholders up to date with regards to issues that impact on South Africa including safety and security. To this end, over the last few months, South African Tourism has participated in key trade shows in various parts of the world including IMEX America, International Golf Travel Market in Italy, participation at World Routes in the United States of America and Travel Expo in Zimbabwe and also currently at a Tourism industry leadership conference in Botswana with a constant message that South Africa remains a safe destination.

Following the incident of the murder of the German tourist, South African Tourism released a joint statement together with private sector industry partner, TBCSA, condemning the incident. This was followed by a media briefing led by Minister of Tourism Lindiwe Sisulu after having met with the affected tourists and the victim’s wife. South African Tourism has reiterated the Minister’s message that such incidents are taken very seriously as the safety of tourists and citizens alike remains key. Over and above this, in all the marketing and promotional work that South African Tourism embarks on, the message that we are a safe destination is shown through the various interactive and immersive experiences shown in the visual elements through our people.

(b) working with the (i) SA Police Service and (ii) private sector to ensure that the image of the Republic as a preferred tourist destination is not tarnished further?

b) We have a National Tourism Safety Strategy with a view to foster public- private sector partnership in addressing issues of tourism safety in a more coordinated manner to provide an enhanced visitor experience and in the long term to change perceptions of South Africa as an unsafe destination. The National Tourism Safety Strategy is centered upon three key pillars which include, Proactive measures (putting in place measures to ensure that tourists are safe before they embark on a trip), Responsive measures (mechanisms that ensure quick and effective turnaround time to attend to tourist in distress when an incident of crime occur); and Aftercare Programmes (providing care and comfort to tourist in distress immediately after an incident has occurred and beyond).

In working with the SA Police Services and the Department of Tourism, South African Tourism co-ordinates key messaging on a case by case basis with the sole aim of synchronizing messaging and efforts relating to citizen and tourists’ safety in the build up to the festive season and beyond. We continue with our efforts of working with the greater tourism sector in removing any barriers that hinder the growth of our sector.

SA Tourism, Mpumalanga Tourism and the private sector have recently collaborated to improve safety around the access routes into the Kruger National Park.