Programme director
Our golf legend, Gary Player
Esteemed stakeholders from the hospitality industry
Present
Dignitaries present
Ladies and gentlemen
All protocol observed
On behalf of the government of KwaZulu-Natal, we would like to express our sincere delight for being part of this wonderful occasion where we are witness a practical expression of confidence not only in our tourism industry but in our economy.
Programme director, as the government of KwaZulu-Natal we are thrilled that today we are we are gathered here to be part of the sod turning ceremony marking a multi million rand investment in our tourism industry.
What makes us all the more chuffed is that the investment is led by IFA Hotels and Resorts, and one of the prominent sporting legends that our country has produced, Mr Gary Player, whose contribution to the golfing sport both in our country and at a global level is unmatched.
But what makes this investment more important for the province of KwaZulu-Natal is that it is happening at the time when the world economy and the tourism industry are still recovering in the wake of the economic recession.
According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, travel and tourism activity was hit hard by the global slump, with travel and tourism economy GDP contracting by 4.8 percent in 2009. Even so, the sector worldwide still provided over 235 million jobs last year. Travel and tourism's recovery - like that of the world economy - is expectedto be a gradual one. After growth of just 0.5 percent in 2010, travel and tourismeconomy GDP is likely to grow by 3.2 percent in 2011, with momentum buildingfrom the second half of 2010 and into next year.
We believe that the investment by IFA Hotels and Resorts, and Mr Gary Player is not only a confidence booster for our province, but also a vote of confidence in the future growth of our tourism industry post the recovery phase.
The fact is that IFA Hotels and Resorts, and Mr Gary Player could have chosen to invest anywhere in the world. But they have chosen our country and our province, a development which we have no doubt that will send a clear message to other prospective investors that KwaZulu-Natal is ready to do business with investors from all over the world.
As government, we have long realised that in order for this industry to thrive in our province we need to put our money where our mouths are. While the old adage which holds that fortune favours the brave is still relevant even today, we are more fond of a variation from this saying which holds that “fortune favours the well-prepared”. We have always understood that potential remains an albatross around one’s neck until it is transformed into tangible reality. In this regard, we have sought to transform both our comparative and competitive advantages around the tourism sector into a platform upon which we can grow our economy.
It is because of this reason that in the lead up to the World Cup, we invested billions of rands into the infrastructure. A stone’s throw away from where we are gathered today, we have built the world class King Shaka International Airport to ensure that our province can be able to be globally competitive and to position KwaZulu-Natal on the world tourism map.
The challenge facing all of us now is to work in a concerted fashion to boost the tourist arrivals to our province and to come up with a package of incentives to attract tourists to our province.
Programme director, over the past decade the tourism industry has emerged one of the fastest growing industries in the world. According to the World Tourism Organisation in 2008 there were over 922 million international tourism arrivals, with a growth of 1,9 percent as compared to 2007. Revenue from the tourism industry is estimated to have grown to $944 billion in 20008, making the tourism industry one of the vibrant sectors in the world.
As the world economy begins to show signs of recovery from the economic recession, the growth of the industry is forecast to be even more bullish. With the growth of the industry has been the intensification of competition from all the countries vying for the slice of this lucrative industry. It is a known fact that countries that tend to do well in this industry are those that offer the best service
Therefore service excellence is the cornerstone upon which this industry is built. It is also a known fact that countries that tend to do well in the industry are those that have the best facilities. Facilities are therefore an important pillar around which this industry is built.
We all know that during the World Cup many of the soccer fans who descended on our shores were singing the praises of our country when they left owing to the fact they had discovered that South Africa had the facilities that can match and even rival those that are found in any country in the world. This development is therefore a welcome addition to our facilities of our hospitality industry.
But more importantly, Programme Director, resorts and hotels are the first point of contact that tourists have with a country after they have landed on any country’s shores.
In other words, the facilities that a country has become a window through which visitors view the country and make judgment about the country’s worth.
It is because of this reason that as government we are excited about this investment because once completed this will be a world class facility and is happening in an area which has become a property investment hub of Durban.
Programme director, before we conclude, we would like to express a word of gratitude to Mr Gary Player that he will design the golf course which will be part of this establishment. We are advised that this is the first ever signature designed, Gary Player golf course built in the province, and it will be sculptured to match the scenic landscapes around this area.
As many of you are aware, next year our province will host the World Golfers Championship. Among other golf courses which will host the event are the Zimbali Golf Estate and the event will be attended by golfers from more than 45 countries. The golf
course that will be built here, we believe, will ensure that our province becomes one of the much sought after golfing destination in the world.
In conclusion, we would like to thank IFA Hotels and Resorts and Mr Gary Player for investing in our province. We have no doubt that this investment will be a stimulus and that it will send an unequivocal message the KwaZulu-Natal is an investment friendly destination.
I thank you.
