8 May 2003

The latest tourist arrival statistics, released by Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister Mohammed Valli Moosa, confirm that South Africa is the fastest-growing tourist market in the world.

Tourist arrivals in South Africa in the first two months of this year totalled nearly 1.1 million, 8.1% more than in the same period last year, with arrivals from South Africa's biggest overseas tourism market, the United Kingdom, growing by 18.6%.

Valli Moosa said the country's tourism industry remained "hearteningly resilient despite adverse global trends".

He said the buoyancy of tourism early this year was due partly to the thousands of international fans who attended Cricket World Cup matches. In particular, there had been an "astonishing" increase in visitors from India during the tournament – 195% up on February last year.

Last year, South Africa surpassed the six-million mark in tourist arrivals for the first time. Approximately 6.4 million tourists visited the country in 2002, an 11% increase over 2001, with 24.2% growth registered out of Europe, 20.7% growth from Asia, and significant growth from the US and key African markets - Botswana grew by 21.6%, Nigeria by 22.2%.

Not counting tourists from the rest of Africa, overall tourist arrivals increased by 20.1%, or over 1.8 million, in 2002.

Compared with global tourism growth last year, these figures are extraordinary. According to the World Tourism Organisation, global tourism grew by 3.1% in 2002 following the 0.5% decline in 2001.

Valli Moosa said: "We have continued to defy gravity throughout the year, confounding the global industry trend of decreased growth in a way that has proved that this is not just a 'flash in the pan' phenomenon."

He said the department's strategies allowed the country's tourism industry to weather the ravages felt by tourism authorities throughout the world during continued economic downturns and political storms.

South African Tourism CEO Cheryl Carolus said South Africa has "magnificent attributes - world-class, value for money, quality African tourism experiences coupled with sophisticated infrastructure and services."

Valli Moosa said the global awareness created from the hosting of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development and the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup, and the innovative value-for-money deals being offered by SA Tourism, would only enhance what looks set to be a bumper year.

SA Tourism recently launched four global marketing campaigns featuring value-for-money packages during South Africa's traditional low season – the My South African Story campaign in the US, the "Live the moment" campaign in India, the "Great Urban Getaway" campaign in Kenya and Tanzania, and the Sunsational campaign in the UK. Plans are in the pipeline to extend campaigns into other core markets such as Germany and France.

According to the statistics, the United Kingdom and Germany were South Africa's leading European markets last year, with 442 910 and 248 990 arrivals respectively, while China led the Asian market with close to 37 000 visitors to South Africa.

Industry accolades
Bearing out Valli Moosa's comments, South Africa has recently scooped a number of international tourism accolades. In September 2002, South Africa was rated as a preferred tourist destination by the French travel industry, with over 21 000 tour operators and retail agents giving the country the thumbs-up at TOP RESA, the annual travel and tourism trade show held in Deauville, France.

And, earlier in the same month, UK travel publication Conde Nast Traveller awarded South Africa top place as the overall value-for-money long haul destination.

The Conde Nast awards are voted for by the readers of the influential magazine that focuses on well-travelled high-income earners in the UK. South Africa's positions in the total global running were as follows:

• Best overall global destination country (short- and long-haul): South Africa was rated 10th in the world (after Australia, Thailand, Italy, USA, France, Spain, New Zealand, Canada and Greece), taking top global honours for value for money.
• Best overseas city: Cape Town was voted number 14, taking top honours for hospitality and value for money.
• Best overseas leisure hotels (Africa and Middle East): South Africa had four of the top 10: Singita (10th), Londolozi (8th), Cape Grace (3rd), Mount Nelson (2nd).
• Best overall tour operators: South African Tourism has relationships with seven of the top 10: British Airways Holidays (9th), Carrier (8th), Trailfinders (5th), Kuoni (4th), ITC Classics (3rd), Abercrombie & Kent (2nd), Elegant Resorts (1st).

The World Markets Research Centre, in its report In Focus 2002 – Africa, notes that Southern Africa (ie South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland) "is expected to take the lion's share of the increase in visitors. According to WTO forecasts, the Southern Africa region could be looking at over 300% growth in tourist arrivals by 2020.

"Not surprisingly, South Africa is the favourite choice for international tourists visiting the continent, taking over 22% of all international tourist arrivals to Africa", the report continues.

"African countries that do well from tourism are those which are among the already most developed nations on the continent. High-spending tourists … expect to receive similar standards of accommodation and facilities to those they could reasonably expect at home.

"As a result, South Africa is a favoured destination, offering African wilderness and game, along with good roads, reliable electricity supplies and all without the threat of a coup d'état."

SouthAfrica.info reporter

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