DA requests update on tourism readiness ahead of expected bumper season
26 September 2022
I will be inviting the National Department of Home Affairs and the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) to brief the Provincial Standing Committee on Finance, Economic Opportunities and Tourism on their readiness to deal with the summer tourism season.
According to the Provincial Economic Review and Outlook (PERO), released earlier this week, average international overnight tourist arrivals to the Western Cape in the first five months of this year were already at 53.8 per cent of 2019 arrival levels.
Tourism figures are expected to exceed even pre-pandemic levels next year.
With such an influx of visitors expected, it is immensely important that the systems in place to facilitate the entry of these visitors are up to date and functioning efficiently.
Ensuring a successful tourism season is essential if we are to not only ensure recovery but also claw back jobs lost during the pandemic.
We cannot afford for a single tourist or family to decide “it’s too much trouble” to visit our shores because they are struggling to get a visa, or because the Cape Town International Airport couldn’t handle the increased number of flights.
Our province needs to be ready to welcome every single tourist, and that is why I want to make sure we are working together with our partners from National Government to make this a great tourism season - injecting much needed funds back into our provincial economy.
The PERO is available here: https://www.westerncape.gov.
Issued by Cayla Murray, DA Western Cape Spokesperson on Finance, Economic Opportunities and Tourism, 26 September 2022
