Jabulani Debedu
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JABULANI DEBEDU, SENIOR CONSULTANT AT BDO’S SPECIALIST TOURISM UNIT.
In a week that reflected a less than sunny two-year decline in overseas tourism numbers, followed by
flights being grounded due to technicalities – recent news that unabridged birth certificates may soon fall
away is the first ray of light for a destination that should be thriving.
While the world is feeling the strain of a tough economy, South Africa’s drop-in tourism can’t be pinned on
global economics particularly when global tourism is growing - and on a smaller but relevantly competitive
scale, so too is African tourism.
Figures released by Stats SA reflect that the biggest drop in overseas visitors for the year to date are from
traditional markets such as France (-8,7%), Germany (-7,8% ) and Australia (--4%%); and it is these big
international markets that account for a massive 74% of all overseas tourists visiting South Africa.
In a week that reflected a less than sunny two-year decline in overseas tourism numbers, followed by
flights being grounded due to technicalities – recent news that unabridged birth certificates may soon fall
away is the first ray of light for a destination that should be thriving.
While the world is feeling the strain of a tough economy, South Africa’s drop-in tourism can’t be pinned on
global economics particularly when global tourism is growing - and on a smaller but relevantly competitive
scale, so too is African tourism.
Figures released by Stats SA reflect that the biggest drop in overseas visitors for the year to date are from
traditional markets such as France (-8,7%), Germany (-7,8% ) and Australia (--4%%); and it is these big
international markets that account for a massive 74% of all overseas tourists visiting South Africa.
