The South African tourism industry has proved its resilience, recovering rapidly from the decline in visitor numbers experienced in 2015.

So said Minister of Tourism, Derek Hanekom, on Tuesday, delivering his annual budget vote speech in Parliament. “Despite two decades of consistent and impressive growth, 2015 was not a good year. Global and local economic pressures took their toll and perceptions of health risks discouraged travel to Africa,” he said.

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“Visa and other travel documentation requirements had a further negative impact on tourism. The result was that international tourist arrivals declined by 6.8% compared to the previous year.”

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But the sector was proving its resilience and efforts from both government and industry to get the country back on track were paying off.  “In January over one million tourists arrived in South Africa, 15% more than in January last year. February brought an incredible 18% increase. This is a spectacular recovery,” the Minister said.

Expectations were that the growth trend would continue and the department’s budget of just over R2 billion was designed to sustain growth of the sector at large.

“It will go towards improved marketing, further enhancing our destination through improving visitor experience, and creating economic opportunities for communities. Transforming the sector at every level will remain a top priority in all our work,” said Hanekom.

Having recently visited China and India, the Minister said inroads were being made to reverse the negative impact of the visa regulations that were introduced. “Progress is being made in implementing cabinet’s decisions on changes to the immigration regulations,” he said. “In China the success of the decision to allow travel agencies to apply for visas on behalf of travellers is being seen. The Chinese market is rebounding very strongly. Tourist arrivals from China in January this year nearly doubled compared to January 2015.”

Hanekom said 50% of the budget would be allocated to SA Tourism for marketing the country in the higly competitive global market. “Our efforts to improve our destination and visitor experience will not translate into increased visitor numbers unless we marekt our destination well.”

He said a review of SA Tourism’s structure and strategies last year had called for a re-alignment of the budget to reduce overheads, increase marketing expenditure and improve research. “The SA Tourism budget for 2016/17 has been revised in line with these new priorities.”

Hanekom stated that in the next financial year his department was also supporting three destination enhancement projects, including building of the Shangoni Gate as a new access point to the Kruger National Park, a wild activity hub in Phalaborwa and a visitor centre at the Tsitsikamma Big Tree.

“We are also funding enhancements to picnic facilities and the experience lab at the Cradle of Humankind in Maropeng, while visitor information services at Robben Island will be enhanced,” he said.

Signage and information at iconic national heritage sites that symbolise the life of Nelson Mandela would also be funded during the next financial year, while the Working for Tourism programme was on track to be launched soon. “This programme is aimed at improving tourism destinations through public employment. The programme kicks off this financial year with the employment of 200 young people who will assist in retaining the blue flag status of our beaches and keep them safe and clean,” he said.

Hanekom said while international tourists remained important, growth of the domestic tourist sector was just as important and R110 million had been allocated to SA Tourism to promote domestic tourism this year. Several initiatives were underway including a series of television commercials relating the stories of South Africans travelling for the first time and how much it meant to them.

“All the work we undertake is guided by a coherent strategy,” he said. “The 10-year National Tourism Sector Strategy was first published in 2011. It has recently been reviewed against the current domestic and international environment. The revised strategy will be gazetted for public comment shortly.”