My fellow
Ministers of Tourism from Africa,
Members
of National, Provincial and Municipal Government present,
Organisers,
exhibitors, buyers and members of the media,
You are
all part of our tourism family. Many of you have travelled long distances to get together
here today, as families often do.
Welcome
to your South
Africa a country on a long journey, on "the long walk to freedom", to quote our
beloved former President Nelson Mandela. Every day takes us closer to our dream of a
truly nonracial, nonsexist society,
and to our final destination of freedom, equality and prosperity for all.
Earlier
this week, our Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa described the story of South
Africa like
this: “Ultimately, this is a story of new and reshaped lives, new hopes, new
dreams, new opportunities
and new adventures for millions of our people. It is a story of a new South African.”
Welcome
to Durban, the heart of evergreen KwaZulu-Natal, where you will meet many new South
Africans. From the time that the sun rises over the warm Indian Ocean, to the
time it sinks
behind the majestic Drakensberg Mountains, this province has a special buzz.
It’s that
wonderful mix of people and their culture coming together with exquisite
places, making
the province come alive with excitement every day.
The city
and the province have made this event a magnificent one. As you arrive through King
Shaka International Airport, as you drive along the streets of Durban, the
placards and posters
send one clear message: Indaba is here, stronger than ever!
I extend
a special welcome to the Ministers of Tourism from our continent: from Burkino Faso,
Ghana, Lesotho, Namibia, Seychelles, Swaziland, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe,
and to the
MECs for Tourism from all our provinces.
We are
all united in our aspiration to build and brand Africa as a continent of
unparalleled opportunity.
We have joined hands to make tourism a sector of hope and progress for our people.
We must now focus on concrete actions to achieve our aspirations.
Indaba is
the premier African travel and tourism show, with exhibits from 18 countries on
the continent
this year.
It
expresses what the soul of Africa is all about. This is what it means to share
what we have, and to
work together to get what we want. This is how we exist, through the existence
of those
around us. We are bound together by our common past, and our future is
intertwined.
Indaba
links every person in this room to each other. We feel a powerful sense of
belonging when we
come together to move tourism forward.
It starts
with the people who partner with SA Tourism to put on this great show. During
the next few
days, business partnerships will be forged between product owners and buyers.
And after the
stands have been packed away, it will be about how our governments throughout
the continent
partner with industry and communities, and how we join forces to receive the
next wave of
tourists.
Indaba is
all about partnerships. Last year we announced our intention to find a partner
to make
Indaba even more impactful. I am told that we are at an advanced stage of
negotiations with a
prospective partner.
Today,
the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Convention Centre reflects the vibrant culture of
Africa. What a great
way to commemorate Africa Month, when the 1.2 billion people of Africa get
together to
celebrate our cultural heritage, our arts and music, and the creativity of our
people.
Africa
Month is an appropriate time to pay tribute to Albert Luthuli. His life story
may be well known to
many of you here. But, for the benefit of our visitors from abroad, let me tell
you just a little
about this man. He lived his life in pursuit of universal freedom.
Inkosi
Luthuli once said:
"Our interest in freedom is not
confined to ourselves only. We are interested in the liberation of the oppressed in the whole of Africa and
in the world as a whole."
He was
the first person in Africa to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. As one of the
early leaders
of the African National Congress, he contributed to making South Africa the
nation we are
today. And our continent is making steady headway in achieving Albert Luthuli’s aspirations.
Africa is
a vibrant melting pot for tourism: the diverse cultures, customs and traditions
of our people,
merged with the endless variety of our landscapes, blended with our unique biodiversity,
and fired by the spirit of freedom and equality.
As
tourism succeeds, the continent succeeds, and millions of people benefit from
this success. Tourism
in South Africa, and in Africa, is on the brink of a new success story.
Some of
the challenges we experienced in South Africa last year resulted in dwindling
tourism numbers.
That is now behind us, and we are experiencing spectacular growth in our
tourist arrivals.
All indications are that 2016 will be a bumper year for tourism in South
Africa.
In fact,
tourism is poised for growth across Africa.
The
United Nations World Tourism Organisation estimates that international tourist
arrivals will grow by
4% this year. Tourist arrivals in Africa are expected to reach 130 million by
2030.
This is
more than double the 50 million arrivals we are currently receiving.
Investment
in tourism across Africa is making tourism a key economic driver. Emerging economies
are shifting away from their reliance on commodities, and moving towards innovation
and the services sector.
Tourism
on our continent is built on the enduring value of our natural assets and the
authentic cultural
experiences we offer. It also depends on our capacity to provide excellent infrastructure,
facilities and service.
We are a
massive continent. The sheer scale of our deserts, forests and plains is a
wonder in itself,
let alone their beauty. We have the most amazing natural splendor. Our
landscapes and biodiversity
are unmatched in the world. We have World Heritage Sites that reveal the
earth’s secrets
and relate the story of humanity.
But all
our attractions and facilities would stand idle without the people, the genuine
people of Africa,
welcoming tourists warmly, catering for their needs professionally, and sharing
our culture in
memorable ways.
The
world’s tourists want what we have: authentic, meaningful experiences. They
still want leisure,
wildlife and adventure, and they continue to come to Africa for this. But, more
and more,
tourists want to meet real people in their homes and communities. They want a
taste of local
traditions and customs.
This
provides opportunities for many more people from indigenous communities to
become involved
in tourism.
In South
Africa we are investing in our key sites, and training our people to enhance
the visitor
experience at these destinations. We have started fitting selected attractions
with solar energy to
reduce their reliance on the national grid and to lower their operational
costs.
As we
build our destination, we are also adjusting our marketing efforts to keep pace
with global
trends.
We all
need to pay more attention to the image and reputation of Africa, not only
through effective
marketing, but by putting on a really great show when tourists arrive. Their
word of mouth
will do our marketing for us when they return home.
Across
the continent, we face similar challenges. We also share similar potential for sustainable
growth. We all stand to benefit from working together, instead of competing
with each
other.
Indaba
provides us with the ideal platform to do this. A successful Indaba contributes
to the success
of tourism in all our countries.
Our
exhibitors are the key to unlocking this potential. They are the product
owners, and they represent
our continent’s diverse offers.
The
interaction between exhibitors and buyers is central to the success of any
travel trade show.
Buyers are looking for a onestop show that offers a wide range of tourism
products and
services. This year, buyers at Indaba have been sourced from key global
markets. Africa is a
continent of unparalleled opportunity, and tourism is where the greatest
untapped opportunity
lies. It is the fountain of hope that promises progress for our people.
Many of
our countries are addressing their visa policies, their infrastructure, health
and hygiene
standards, and the protection of their natural resources.
Mobile
bookings are on the rise in Africa. About 15% of room nights are now booked on
a mobile
phone. This allows product owners to attract many more customers at a far lower
cost. It is
also significant that SADC Tourism Ministers have agreed to transform RETOSA
into a dedicated
marketing organization, which will make our joint marketing efforts more
efficient and
effective.
Our
Department of Tourism has hosted workshops to share best practice with several
sister
countries
on the continent.
However,
despite positive development like these, our continent still faces impediments
to growth.
Air transport services remain a key constraint. Many major airlines fly to
Africa from North
America, Europe, and Asia. But, once visitors reach the continent, they
encounter difficulties
in travelling from country to country.
If one
quarter of African countries were to implement the Open Skies for Africa
decision and facilitate
greater air access between our countries, an additional 155,000 jobs and USD
1.3 billion
in GDP could be generated, with obvious benefits for tourism.
We are
delighted to welcome 575 national and international media people to Indaba
2016. We value
your presence here immensely. We look forward to sharing the success story of
tourism in Africa
with you, so that you can share it with the world.
Tourism
offers an opportunity for our media to cast the narrative of Africa in an
entirely new light,
one that brightens up the future of the continent and contributes to the
African success
story.
Allow me
to leave you with another quote from Inkosi Albert Luthuli. These words were spoken in
a bygone era, well before our country began our journey to democracy, but they
are just as relevant
today:
"Friends, let us make no mistake, the
road to freedom is always full of difficulties. Before we reach the summit of freedom, many will have
fallen by the wayside as a result of enemy action, and others, through personal
despondency, may abandon the fight. But I call upon you, as a true son of South Africa, to be
true to Africa, and count no sacrifice too great for her redemption.”
As we all
embark on our long walk together, tourism will help us to grow our economies
and advance
our people. And this will take us to the summit of freedom.
Thank
you.
(courtesy of The INDABA Team)
