In his State of the Nation address last week, President Jacob Zuma announced that SA Tourism will spend R100 million per annum to stimulate Domestic Tourism. Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom said that the announcement was ‘music to his ears‘!
Minister Hanekom said, in the Parliamentary debate about the President’s State of the Nation Address: ‘Mr President, in your address to the nation on Thursday, you said that South African Tourism will invest R100 million a year to promote domestic tourism encouraging South Africans to tour their country. Your emphasis on the importance of domestic tourism came as music to the ears of all of us who are working in tourism who so passionately believe in the great value tourism offers our country’.
Minister Hanekom added that SA Tourism will focus on making ‘iconic attractions‘ accessible and affordable to South Africans. ‘More people should be able to travel to the Kruger National Park to see the great wildlife extravaganza … Our people must have the opportunity to take the ferry to Robben Island and experience the story of the triumph of the human spirit of oppression. Many more school children must be able to visit Mapungubwe and take pride in the history of this ancient African civilisation that cast the golden rhino long before Africa was colonised. This is our heritage to be shared by all our people‘, added the Minister.
Tourism is an important job creator, said Minister Hanekom, employing 655000 persons producing goods and services for tourists. The Minister expressed his confidence that Tourism can grow, offering more jobs to locals. A total of 1,5 million persons are employed in Tourism.
Source: Allafrica.com
Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.whalecottage.com/blog Tel 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@WhaleCottage Facebook: click here
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