Programme Director,
Industry leaders,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen.
Thank you for affording me the opportunity to address this auspicious inaugural South African Travel and Tourism Summit; a significant occasion in that it has been born from a true spirit of collaboration and a belief that together South Africa’s tourism role players can create a national platform to deliver on the challenging goals set out in our innovative National Tourism Sector Strategy.
As I drove past a particular gem in Gauteng’s sporting crown and the home of Gauteng Tourism’s sponsored Sansui Summer Cup in November, the Turffontein Race Course, I was reminded today, of a rather inspiring quote by former President Nelson Mandela that I feel strongly applies to our deliberations today.
“Sport has the power to unite people in a way that little else can. It can create hope where once there was only despair. It breaks down racial barriers. It laughs in the face of discrimination. Sport speaks to people in a language they can understand.”
We experienced the extraordinary positive impact that sport had just a few years ago when the World Cup graced our shores. We see it now as thousands gather at our impressive FNB Stadium in fervent support of their teams. Sport is a universal language that brings people together, no matter what their origin, their background, their agenda.
Sport teaches us the importance of teamwork, respect for others. Together, the team works towards an end goal, and, at the end of the season, the team is bonded together because of the cumulative experience they have had; their shared success, failure, hardship and triumph.
And so I welcome you, this talented Tourism Team, to the second day of The Summit, a pioneering conference that bears all the unifying traits of sport that I so greatly admire – collaboration, determination, and inspiration. I also welcome you to Gauteng, a province driving the region’s economy; a province with energy, optimism and confidence.
I have no doubt that this spirit of Gauteng will influence you in your continued deliberations so that this forum emerges as one that will yield the sound results required to propel Gauteng, and indeed South Africa’s tourism sector to greater heights.
The meaningful collaboration of five tourism industry associations to discuss issues of common interest in the industry and to review progress in the implementation of the National Tourism Sector Strategy, is not only encouraging, it is inspiring. And so is the focus of this event on understanding the value of the traveller and the role of industry, government and all citizens of this province and country in fostering international, regional and domestic tourism.
It is my profound hope that The South African Travel and Tourism Summit will emerge as a critical platform for top-level dialogue and decision-making, developing accountable action plans that will assist in the achievement of the goals outlined in Gauteng’s Tourism Sector Strategy and in turn South Africa’s National Tourism Sector Strategy.
As the economic engine room of the region, generating over a third of South Africa’s GDP, home to corporate South Africa and a host of major multinational companies, Gauteng places a high premium on the role that an industry like tourism plays in its success.
Today, tourism contributes an estimated 4.5% of Gauteng’s total GDP, higher than the national average of 3.2% and 2.9% internationally. Tourism contributes 4.5% of the total employment in Gauteng province, with some 32% of the nation’s tourism jobs based here.
The province remains the first port of call for businesses that seek to unlock South Africa’s business potential and as a result, is committed to creating favourable conditions that promote ease of doing business.
And the tourism industry derives no less commitment as we recognise it as one of our key economic sectors with excellent potential for growth. Staking its claim as Gauteng’s golden child, tourism’s contribution to the provincial economy exceeds that of the gold mining industry that for many years propelled the province.
So important is tourism, and thus this Summit, to this province, that we in the legislature of Gauteng will ensure that the outcomes and actions defined for tourism in the province as a result of these deliberations will be placed on our agenda. We will challenge continuously our MECs and their departments to enlighten us on the actions they have taken to grow tourism in Gauteng.
We will assess the extent to which these departments have assisted the industry and its partners in increasing the contribution of domestic, regional and international tourism to Gauteng’s economy; how we as a province are delivering a world-class visitor experience; and what we are doing to promote responsible tourism practices within the sector.
Programme Director,
We will support the industry represented here today in every way possible to ensure that the bold vision we have defined together to elevate South Africa, and indeed Gauteng’s global tourism competitiveness becomes a reality. Each and every one of us will take responsibility for its success – it’s starts here…
Let us emulate the ‘can do’ attitude of the people of this province and take advantage of this collaborative platform to truly deliver on the promises we make to foster a strong, successful tourism economy.
As influencers in this great industry, we have a responsibility to move beyond talk; a responsibility to take action; an opportunity to drive the tourism economy forward. Each of us has the power to contribute to the joint vision determined here this week. Each of us must act now – it starts with us…
And what better location to harness the diversity and dynamism of South Africa’s tourism thought leaders, than Gauteng? The province where world-changing events began:
- The launch pad of foreign investment in South Africa; and
- Home to the birthplace of humankind, the Cradle of Humanity.
It starts with you… connect with the Cradle; connect with Gauteng’s cultural gems - Constitution Hill and the Apartheid Museum; connect with the extraordinary bird sanctuaries in Ekurhuleni, the man-made urban forest that is Johannesburg, the peaceful Walter Sisulu Botanical Garden in the West; connect with the history of the freedom struggle at Liliesleaf Farm and Sophiatown, the heritage of Freedom Park and Marieamman Temple in Marabastad; soothe yourself in sleepy Sedibeng’s picturesque riverine surroundings. Inspire and be inspired by all that Gauteng has to offer.
We want every person present, (as we do every citizen of this province), to promote brand Gauteng and your contribution starts here, at this significant gathering. This platform is about taking concrete steps towards positioning South Africa as a Top 20 Tourism Destination in the world by 2020, it is about questioning how each of us can contribute and play our part in the national tourism industry’s development; and it is about how to deliver a world-class visitor experience that will inspire our visitors in turn to tell their South African story.
And so I invite every one of you to spread your South African story. Show others how to enjoy the kaleidoscope of experiences around every corner of this and all our other provinces. But tell everyone this is where it all started… in Gauteng at the 2013 Summit.
To truly understand the value of the traveller, you must be the traveller. At this point, I would like to hand back to the Programme Director and I look forward to what lessons we can learn from one of the world’s most successful City Regions, from a tourism perspective, Melbourne… oh, and I am led to believe that they take their sport quite seriously there too and have a Horse Race which apparently has the ability to stop the Nation… now that’s really something for our Summer Cup to aspire to!
I thank you!
