ALTHOUGH international arrivals to the Western Cape have declined slightly, visitors stay longer and they spend more, according to statistics announced by Garth Strachan, MEC of Finance, Economic Development and Tourism.
 
Speaking at a Tourism Destination Conference in Cape Town, he said overseas arrivals to the Western Cape were expected to have declined slightly in the last six months of 2008, in line with the national trend, because most overseas visitors to the province hailed from the UK, Germany and The Netherlands. This followed a 0,96% decline in international arrivals (825 275) in the first six months of 2008 compared with the same period in 2007 (833 267).
 
However, the number of bed nights in the first six months last year increased by 14,8% compared with the same time in 2007 (from 9,8m to 11,3m). Foreign spend was up 6,18% from R9,7bn in the first six months of 2007 to R10,3bn in the corresponding period last year. This trend was expected to have continued the last six months of 2008, Strachan said.
 
However, he warned against illusions that the full impact of the global financial crisis would bypass the South African tourism economy in 2009.
 
“Our big collective focus must be growth in volumes and developing a sustainable growth strategy for the tourism industry; a growth strategy that must be sustainable across the quadruple line of economic, social, environmental and climate responsiveness.
 
“It is not sustainable for us to market our fantastic hotels, beautiful landscapes,  excellent wines and the V&A Waterfront with its designer shops and restaurants, when grinding poverty confronts tourists on their arrival in our province. Yes, we are the tourism capital of South Africa – and its shack capital. Our approach to tourism has to include broad-based participation and broad-based benefits,” he stressed.