Tourism industry welcomes Minister de Lille's reappointment

Source: GovernmentZA via Flickr

Satsa, the voice of inbound tourism in South Africa, is particularly pleased with Minister de Lille's reappointment. "Minister de Lille's reappointment is excellent news for the tourism sector," said David Frost, CEO of Sarsa. "Her leadership has been instrumental in navigating our industry through challenging times, and we're excited about the prospects of building on this solid foundation."

In addition to Minister de Lille's reappointment, Satsa is also enthusiastic about the new appointments of Dr Leon Schreiber as Minister of Home Affairs and Barbara Creecy as Minister of Transport. These portfolios have historically posed challenges to the tourism industry, and Satsa looks forward to a fresh approach under their leadership. "The Home Affairs and Transport portfolios are critical to tourism's success," Frost added. "We're optimistic about working with Ministers Schreiber and Creecy to address long-standing challenges and unlock South Africa's full tourism potential."

Key priorities for Satsa include:

1. Streamlining visa processes to enhance accessibility for key markets like India and China.
2. Implementing the remote worker visa to capitalise on the digital nomad trend.
3. Improving air connectivity, transport infrastructure, and services.
4. Collaborating on initiatives to accelerate tourism growth and competitiveness.

Similarly, Fedhasa has applauded the reappointment of Minster Patricia de Lille, noting her unwavering commitment to the tourism sector during her previous tenure. "We are thrilled to see Minister de Lille return to lead the Ministry of Tourism," said Rosemary Anderson, chairperson of Fedhasa.

"Minister de Lille achieved so much in the short time she was in the position, and she will now be able to carry through what she started. Her deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the tourism industry, coupled with her proactive approach, has been instrumental in navigating the sector through difficult times. We are confident that under her leadership, the tourism industry will continue to thrive and reach new heights."

Fedhasa also extends a warm welcome to the new Minister of Home Affairs, Leon Schreiber, and expresses its hope for a constructive partnership in addressing visa-related issues that impact the tourism sector. "We believe that a streamlined and efficient visa system is crucial for attracting international visitors and unlocking the full potential of South Africa's tourism industry as well as creating hundreds of thousands of jobs in our country," added Anderson.

"We are eager to engage with Minister Schreiber and explore ways to simplify visa processes, making it easier for tourists from key markets, such as India, to visit our beautiful country."

Highlighting the significant potential for South Africa's tourism industry, Anderson noted that with proper measures, South Africa could achieve similar success to other long-haul destinations like Australia.

Unlocking SA's tourism potential

"South Africa boasts a wealth of diverse tourism offerings, from incredible natural landscapes and enriching cultural experiences to world-class accommodation and hospitality services," Anderson said. "By addressing visa-related challenges and working collaboratively with the government, we can unlock this potential and create a thriving tourism industry that generates substantial economic benefits for the country."

Fedhasa emphasised the importance of learning from the experiences of other countries, such as the United States, which has successfully attracted new source markets like India through its e-visa system. "By adopting a more visa-friendly approach and prioritising key markets like India, South Africa can tap into a vast pool of potential visitors and reap the rewards of a flourishing tourism industry," concluded Anderson.

South African Tourism (SA Tourism) also congratulated Minister de Lille on her reappointment and Maggie Sotyu on her appointment as Deputy Minister of Tourism. "We eagerly anticipate continuing our collaboration with Minister De Lille to advance and expand the tourism sector," stated Nombulelo Guliwe, CEO of SA Tourism, emphasising plans to boost travel to and within South Africa for inclusive economic growth.

Guliwe highlighted the expected full recovery of international tourism in 2024 and expressed gratitude to outgoing Deputy Minister Fish Mahlalela for his contributions to growing the MICE sector and enhancing tourism quality assurance.