Industry leaders recently gathered to discuss the Cape water shortage at one of the Joint Associations Members Meeting Sessions (JAMMS).
Panel members included Sisa Ntshona, CEO of South African Tourism (SAT); Ian Nielsen,Executive Deputy Mayor of the City of Cape Town; Enver Mally,Chairperson of Cape Town Tourism and Lead Chairperson for JAMMS; Alan Winde,Minister of Economic Opportunities; and Peter Flower,Director of Water & Sanitation for the City of Cape Town.
In summary, Ntshona said the industry needed to get the message across that Cape Town was open for business, and that tourists would continue to receive the same level of service. Furthermore, what was said in a country space should not be conveyed internationally, as South Africa needed to be more upbeat when talking about the current water situation.
The wrong message was currently being portrayed, said Ntshona, and to combat this, SAT had been meeting with various international media, equipping them with the facts.
Furthermore, SAT has been engaging with wholesalers and key markets, such as the UK, Germany and the US.
South Africa is at the forefront, and is fast becoming an international case study for other countries to learn from, with places such as California in conversation with SA about how it is handling the situation. “We are in the spotlight. How we conduct ourselves, how we come out of this is going to be the benchmark,” added Ntshona.
He said it was important that provinces – using Limpopo as an example – did not try to benefit at the cost of the Western Cape. “Doing nothing is not an option for us. If we do nothing, we will lose our prominence around the world as a tourism destination.” Ntshona added that SA competed daily, as tourists had the choice of going anywhere, and if nothing was done, SA would fall off the radar. SAT, therefore, was taking an offensive stance.
“Day Zero is a swear word in my space,” said Ntshona, adding that it created unnecessary and unsubstantiated panic and hysteria.
Mally said the water shortage affected people from a grass roots level in tourism. “Business continuity is something we are all worried about.” He said the JAMMS session gave members the opportunity to ask those in government about the possible solutions and what plans were in pace if Day Zero were to materialise, as the information enabled businesses to move forward.
The water situation was one of the biggest challenges the city had ever faced, said Nielsen. “We have to cut down on our consumption if we are to get through this.”
Videos from the recent JAMMS session have been made available to members of the Southern Africa Tourism Services Association.
Wesgro cut the videos to highlight key points made during the discussion, FAQs received during the recent webinar hosted by Tourism Update, where the industry was invited to raise their concerns about the water situation in the Cape can be viewed here.
Sisa Nthsona: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFL-it_1JDk
Ian Nielsen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dmr_oJzsxIg
Enver Mally: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIfnrk8cTRY
Alan Winde: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CRDIqOyuBE
Peter Flower: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0M6FAlBmC4
