France is, and remains, an important key market for tourists to South Africa, and investment in maintaining and growing arrivals from France, will continue.
This was the message from South Africa’s National Tourism Minister, Mr Marthinus van Schalkwyk, when he addressed a gala dinner at the annual Top Resa French travel show and exhibition in Paris on 22 September 2011.
Last year, 115 401 French nationals visited South Africa either as leisure or business tourists, 11 per cent more French visitors to South Africa than was the case in 2009. "Of course," Minister van Schalkwyk said, "last year’s FIFA World Cup was a significant driver of tourist arrivals to South Africa… not only from France, but from the whole of Europe and the rest of the world too.
The FIFA World Cup precipitated significant investment in infrastructure; up-skilled the South African tourism industry to deliver even higher levels of service excellence to visitors; and raised the profile of destination South Africa to unprecedented levels all over the world. It also catapulted South Africa into a new era… the era in which South Africa arrived as global host of choice of big event tourism.”
And it was in big event tourism and business tourism that France was, and remained, an especially important market for South Africa. “More than 100 international associations have their headquarters in France. We want to win more of the business of these associations for their meetings, conferences, events and exhibitions for our destination.” Minster van Schalkwyk added.
Already South Africa had won the right to host more than 200 international events over the next five years. These events would bring more than 300 000 delegates from all over the world to South Africa. Minister of Tourism was also delighted to add that South Africa’s imminent Conventions Bureau will lead development efforts that will position South Africa as Africa’s leading center for regional and international conventions, exhibitions and incentives.
Speaking of the small 1.5 % decline of French arrivals to South Africa from May 2010 to May 2011, the Tourism Minister said that as the global economy was still recovering from the recession, the slight drop was understandable. However, he added, South Africa continued to work and invest in France to ensure France remained the strong tourism market it had always been.
Air France, the Minister said, would open a new Paris-Cape Town route in November with three flights a week. This was evidence of the confidence the aviation sector had in both the South African destination, and in the French market’s imminent full recovery.
South Africa’s theme at Top Resa this year was ‘Responsible and Sustainable Tourism’ and a record number of 12 South African exhibiting companies were in attendance.
“Responsible and sustainable tourism embraces a number of imperatives. They include everything from procuring fresh produce locally to support the businesses of local communities; to recycling water; planting trees to offset the carbon footprint of the industry; to what we like to call in South Africa ‘treading lightly’ to preserve our magnificent wild and wilderness areas.
“South Africans jealously protect their cultural authenticity and unspoiled natural beauty. Not only because they draw tourists to South Africa, but also because they are precious and valuable to the South African people,” Minister van Schalkwyk concluded.
Enquiries:
South African Tourism
Jermaine Craig
Tel: 011 895 3000
E-mail: Jermaine@southafrica.net
National Department of Tourism
Mr Trevor Bloem
Tel: 012 444 6607
Cell: 082 771 6729
E-mail: tbloem@tourism.gov.za
Ministry of Tourism
Ms Melene Rossouw
Tel: 021 465 7240
Cell: 082 753 7107
E-mail: mrossouw@tourism.gov.za
Ms Natasha Rockman
Tel: 021 465 7240
Cell: 076 429 2264
E-mail: nrockman@tourism
French travel market remains critical for South Africa
