7 March 2007
Despite making up only five percent of foreign tourists visiting South Africa, business travellers spend on average up to three times more than those coming to the country on holiday.
Speaking at a business tourism conference in Cape Town last week, Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk said visitors coming to the country on business - including attending conferences, exhibitions and incentive trips - contributed R2.3-billion, or four percent, to South Africa's total tourism revenue.
He added that 40% of business tourists returned to the country within five years of their first visit, while 18% went on leisure tours prior to their business activities and 22% did the same afterwards.
Van Schalkwyk told Business Report that the government had invested an average of R17-million a year over the last three years in business tourism, with the aim of doubling the number of business tourists over the next three years.
He said South Africa's tourism industry was a major contributor to the country's continued economic growth, overtaking gold as a source of foreign exchange.
The government had increased the budget allocation for tourism by 400% since 1999, and the effect on the industry's growth "has been phenomenal," Van Schalkwyk told Business Report.
World-class venues
According to Southern African Association for the Conference Industry (SAACI) chairperson Denise Kemp, 2005 saw about 2.5-million business tourists, foreign and local, in South Africa.
Speaking to Business Day last week, Kemp said South Africa ranked 32nd globally for business tourism, holding 1.3% of the market, a figure she expected to increase to 2% over the next few years.
"SA is already experiencing an increase in conferences linked to the 2010 Soccer World Cup tournament," she told Business Day.
While the country's major centres boasted world-class venues such as Johannesburg's Sandton Convention Centre and the Cape Town International Convention Centre, more than 1 700 other venues were available, she added.
"Some are themed around casinos and popular entertainment, others around top-ranked golf courses, and yet others around the African bushveld or spectacular seaside resorts.
"All provide a wealth of side-tours and events, from walking with elephants to experiencing African culture at first hand ... to luxury relaxation and pampering and world-class shopping."
SouthAfrica.info reporter
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