Life on the ocean wave
I write from the Gulf of Tonkin, off Vietnam, on board Seabourn Legend. Described by its owners as one of the most luxurious cruise liners in the world, it carries only two hundred passengers. Before readers conclude that I have joined the idle rich, I hasten to say that I am delivering six lectures in fourteen days. Called ‘conversations' by the operators, the purpose is to engage passengers in subjects of interest by experts who talk for around forty five minutes, illustrating the subject with Power point presentations before answering questions.
My first ‘conversation' was ‘Behind Embassy Walls - High dramas, bureaucratic mistakes and the darker and lighter sides of diplomatic life and work, as witnessed by a former ambassador to four Southeast Asian countries.' I was gratified both at the turnout of passengers and the very positive response.
Since then, Pam and I have been engaged by many. The mealtimes, serving the most wonderful gourmet food, are enlivened by interested questions about South Africa. There are two main categories: those who have been to South Africa and loved it; and those who have always wanted to travel there but are nervous because they have heard it is unsafe. Johannesburg, in particular, is seen as riddled with crime and best avoided.
How to deal with this? Bear in mind that these passengers are mostly very well educated, well-travelled, successful people who can afford to go anywhere in the world that they choose. Mainly Americans but also many Australians and British, together with a sprinkling from many other countries, these are very desirable tourists.
If we are serious about job-creation, there is no better generator of jobs for our unemployed, than tourism. We need tourists and especially well-heeled ones because they spend a good deal of money. With their support, we could produce hundreds of thousands of jobs.