As South Africa continues to celebrate Tourism Month and World Tourism Day, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Fish Mahlalela, has reiterated the need for transformation in South Africa’s tourism sector.
Speaking at World Tourism Day celebrations, hosted by The Department of Tourism, South African Tourism and the North West Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism, at Seasons Resort in Hartbeespoort in North West, the deputy minister said that tourism stakeholders should work in unison in transforming the sector.
According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the focus of this year’s WTD is on ‘Tourism and Green Investments’ with the need for more and better-targeted investments for people, for the planet and for prosperity.
This includes the drive to make tourism a viable solution for economic growth and make it more sustainable for the future.
The deputy minister said that South Africa’s tourism industry must benefit people in the townships and rural communities and improve the lives of everyone.
“Let’s work together in transforming this sector in tourism, in benefits for everybody, so that people in the townships, in the rural areas and everywhere, they must see value in it.
“They must not see this tourism as an elitist thing that has got nothing to do with them.
“That’s why we are encouraging that we must make sure that it transcends into the rural areas, it transcends into the townships, into the small dorpies and into everywhere else,” said Mahlalela.
The minister said that tourism extends beyond simply powering economies and creating jobs or offering wanderlust explorers unforgettable experiences but is also is formidable force in building cohesive societies.
“It facilitates the breaking down of barriers of race, gender and class, thus fostering understanding and nurturing the rich tapestry of our shared humanity,” he explained.
Mahlalela also said when it comes to sustainability, green investments play a cardinal role in nurturing a tourism sector that is both economically vibrant and environmentally responsible.
“Our vision is clear: to foster a tourism ecosystem where every investment is green, every endeavour nurtures our environment, and every step brings us closer to the Sustainable Development Goals outlined for 2030.
“Now is the time to innovate, to think beyond the beaten path, to envision tourist facilities powered by renewable energies, accommodations that are a haven of green architecture, and experiences that enable our guests to leave a green footprint behind,” Mahlalela added.