South Africa’s tourist guiding industry, which was battered by COVID-19, is calling for more support to overcome obstacles to recovery, including a proliferation of non-tourism transport operators muscling in on tourism transport, a lack of government backing and the burning issues of loadshedding and crime.

Speaking to Tourism Update in the wake of International Tourist Guide Day on February 21, Francois Collin, Media Liaison for the National Federation of Tourist Guides and Affiliates (NFTGA) highlighted the challenges still facing the guiding industry.

“The number of tourist guides listed in South Africa has grown from 12 000 before COVID to around 14 000 currently. But the issue is that the proportion of guides who aren’t currently registered has grown significantly,” said Collin.

Pre-COVID, some 9 000 guides (75% of all guides) were up to date with their registrations, whereas there are an estimated 7 000 guides (50%) currently operating in alignment with regulations.

“This is due to a combination of factors. Many guides don’t have the money to be able to afford annual re-registration, and the process itself is often onerous, with travel required to main centres such as Johannesburg,” said Collin, who warned that the increase in unregistered guides and operators was a serious threat to the professionalism of the industry.

“If law enforcement and the National Department of Tourism (NDT) don’t clamp down on peripheral activities that take away value from tourism, but are not conforming to tourism norms, the situation will deteriorate further. Prospective guides may see no reason to be registered and start up tourist transport or guiding businesses without being qualified, or competent to do so.”

Collin identified the red tape surrounding the granting of tourist transport operating licences by the Department of Transport’s National Public Transport Regulator (NPTR) as an issue further hampering the regulation of the industry.

“We hope to see solutions to that being presented at the NPTR/TBCSA/SATSA workshop taking place next Monday (February 27) which we will be attending to raise our concerns,” said Collin.  

Unequal recovery

During the pandemic, the NFTGA partnered with Tourvest Destination Management and others, to provide food parcels to around 200 distressed tourist guides and drivers around South Africa.  

While the industry is under less stress than at the height of the pandemic, the initiative has continued, with over 1 500 beneficiaries receiving either food parcels or grocery vouchers to date. Collin pointed out that there was a highly unequal level of recovery based on the sub-sectors that tour guides were operating in.

“If you’re employed as a nature guide at a five-star game lodge which has reopened, then your income has been restored largely due to the recovery of the North American market. Adventure guides are also experiencing higher levels of recovery, because of the adventure sector’s emphasis on the domestic market. As are some cultural guides in hubs such as Cape Town,” said Collin.

“But if you’re a national guide based in cities such as Durban or Johannesburg, specialising in long-distance tour packages, or coach tours, then it becomes harder to secure business,” Collin explained. 

Collaborating for more support

He said the Department of Tourism could implement a number of realistic initiatives that would add up to creating big changes in the tourist guiding industry.

“Considering that guides are central to marketing the destination, there needs to be much more emphasis on upgrading of skills and implementing platforms such as a functional website where guides can advertise their offerings.”

Collin also highlighted the ongoing effects of loadshedding, crime and infrastructure deterioration on South Africa’s tourism industry.

“If government is serious about improving tourism and the lives of South Africans, we have to fix crime and loadshedding. The condition of our roads is also a significant issue, as it hampers access to many destinations, preventing certain communities from benefiting.

“We are working closely with SATSA to overcome some of these problems, and hope to make some very exciting announcements soon,” Collin concluded.