Fly the flag with domestic tourism

Brett Hendricks, CEO, Thebe Tourism Group

These factors and more have left many feeling pessimistic about the country’s future. So, I watched with glowing pride and excitement as South Africans from all walks of life came out in their numbers to celebrate the Springbok trophy tour. Streets were awash with green and gold as thousands of beaming supporters — many of whom waved the national flag — gave the team a hero’s welcome. But, why does it have to take the Boks’ victory to remind us that we live in an amazing country brimming with potential? Why can’t we live with this feeling of pride everyday (and, yes, it won’t solve all our challenges)?

In my opinion — someone with an insider’s view of the tourism industry — domestic travel is a rewarding way to rediscover South Africa’s potential, fortitude and resilience. Not only does domestic travel remind us that our country boasts some of the most spectacular landscapes in the world, but it’s also a way of contributing positively to our economy by helping to create jobs. Overall, it feeds into the momentum created by viral Facebook groups such as #ImStaying that serve as a rallying call for citizens to do their part to turn things around. It starts with me, you and us.

Meaningful contribution

Recent reports show that travel and tourism contributed an estimated 1.5-million jobs and R425.8bn to the economy when indirect and induced contributions were tallied; domestic travel accounted for 56 % of the total spend. There are a host of online resources with statistics detailing how tourism supports local economies. For instance, figures released by Stats SA show that in 23 people work in the tourism sector, of which most are women and young people. Tourism also supports more than 900 rural enterprises, which is important for stimulating job creation outside of urban areas. The sector, therefore, makes a meaningful contribution toward achieving the country’s development goals such as empowering women, revitalising rural economies and upskilling the youth.

It’s little wonder that Finance Minister Tito Mboweni’s economic recovery plan considers tourism to be a key sector for driving growth and employment opportunities going forward. According to figures quoted in the document, travel and tourism’s contribution to GDP in 2014 was larger than the individual contribution of three other major sectors, namely agriculture, automotive manufacturing and chemical manufacturing. Tourism’s potential is spelt out in explicit terms by the National Treasury’s acknowledgement that: “For every direct job created in the tourism sector, one additional job is created on an indirect or induced basis, making its linkages stronger than in many other sectors.”

Looking ahead, the government aims to increase tourism’s total contribution to GDP to R948bn by 2026, while the sector is expected to support 2.2-million jobs directly and indirectly. International inbound tourism will not be the only driver, in fact domestic tourism will need to contribute a significant share.

Although domestic tourism makes up a high proportion of all tourism in the country, it has been on the decline, mostly driven by a decrease in the number of people taking day trips, according to the latest Domestic Tourism Survey published by Statistics South Africa. While there may be various reasons for the slowdown, it’s likely that growing pressure on household disposable income is a factor.

Given the economic benefits of local tourism, those who can afford to travel should consider spending their money in local destinations. Effectively, if (and when) the industry takes important steps to resolve issues around pricing for locals, more people will travel. From breathtaking sunsets in the bush to the rugged beauty of the country’s coastline, there are plenty of things to discover and love about South Africa. At the very least, local travel is one small way in which we can keep the flag flying high long after the Boks’ victory parade has ended.