Question NW504 to the Minister of Tourism

Reply:

(a) What are the details of the measures and/or mechanisms that her department has in place to mitigate the impact of crime on tourism in;

(i) The Republic as a whole

I have been informed by the Department that, at the national level and in line with the provisions of the National Tourism Safety Strategy, the Department of Tourism has set up the National Tourism Safety Forum which is a public-private sector platform responsible for the co-ordination and integration of safety mechanisms or measures for tourists in distress. The measures include proactive, responsive and aftercare programmes and initiatives.

(ii) In Mpumalanga specifically

The Department of Tourism in partnership with Mpumalanga Parks Tourism Agencies, the South African Police Services, traffic police and community safety policing forums conducted a number of Joint Tourism Safety Awareness Campaigns to create awareness and promote tourism safety in the province.

The Department implemented the second phase of the Tourism Monitors Programme which included 288 youth who were trained and deployed to various tourism attractions in Mpumalanga.

The Department in partnership with Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency conducted the joint festive season tourism safety campaigns from 2 – 17 December 2022. The purpose of the joint festive season tourism safety awareness campaigns was to promote tourism safety on Panorama route which include Graskop, Hazyview, Sabie, Kruger Park; N4 Road Mataffin; Coopersdal - N4 as well as R539 Numbi Road.

The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Mr. Fish Mahlalela held a Tourism Safety Stakeholder Engagement on 2nd September 2022, in Hazeyview Sun in Mpumalanga. The purpose of the meeting was to understand the challenges faced by the community and to look at opportunities that could be considered for community involvement in tourism.

(b) The Department is currently evaluating the effect of the mechanism put in place from 1 November 2022 to 31 January 2023.