Minister of Tourism, Lindiwe Sisulu, has acknowledged some of the challenges facing the tourism sector currently and has called on her team at the Department of Tourism to offer urgent recommendations on how to support businesses in the sector.
Tourism Update would like to hear from readers how you think the Ministry/Department could assist businesses, as well what you think she should prioritise to ensure growth and recovery of the sector as a whole.
The City of City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Opportunities and Asset Management, James Vos, is the latest leader to outline his key priorities, namely:
- Urgently addressing SA’s removal from the UK’s red list
- Fast-tracking the introduction of a remote working visa (to attract digital nomads) and,
- Putting further pressure on the National Transport Department to approve Delta Air Lines’ request to fly direct to Cape Town.
He pointed out that all these issues spoke to goals set out in the City’s Ten Point Tourism Strategy aimed at breathing life back into the sector.
“They will also be included in my tourism plan to be announced next month as factors to be mindful of as we prepare for our summer ‘visitor’ season,” said Vos, adding that few industries had been more shell-shocked than that of tourism by this pandemic.
“There is much more work ahead and the pandemic has hastened the necessity with which all levels of government must act to revitalise our economy, its industries, and people’s livelihoods,” he said.
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