The industry has reacted to the incident on September 24 where 36 Dutch tourists were robbed on their way from OR Tambo International Airport (Ortia) to their hotel.
Owner of Sable Tours, based in The Netherlands, Pieter Kerkhof, said the incident was on all major news bulletins, both on television and in newspapers, and was posted all over social media.
“For us South Africans, it is a problem and we see this as yet another unfortunate incident, but for people living their lives in a constructed, very safe society, with uncorrupted police and where life usually is quite easy, this is a big thing.
“I suspect it is not over yet and that there will be talk shows where some participants will give their views.”
Kerkhof said it would impact tourism to SA from The Netherlands but says the effect will most likely not last too long, as people move on. He suspects it will be over in a year’s time.
“The bigger problem is the lasting (negative) perception of SA.”
He says they still receive on average, three requests for quotes per day. Since the robbery they have had one quote request for SA. All the others are for countries in Southern Africa, with Namibia at number one.
Kerkhof said on a personal note: “If an incident like this happens again, we can write off business from The Netherlands for a long time. This also affects the Belgian market!”
One of the Dutch tourists who were robbed said he would only return to SA if his transport was driving in convoy with “two tanks in front and the back,” reported Times Live.
Industry stakeholders condemned the situation. CEO of the Gauteng Tourism Authority, Siphiwe Ngwenya, said an incident of this nature could undermine the work that the government at all levels was doing to grow the economy and create employment.
“The potential of tourism to help ameliorate the triple challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment can’t be overstated,” he said.
For tourism to fulfil its potential, safety and security are key precedents. “We, therefore, cannot allow the actions of a few criminals to overwhelm the good of the majority.
“We are alarmed because incidents of this nature fly in the face of what we are trying to do as government and its agencies, which is to attract increasing numbers of visitors to our shores.”
“GTA acknowledges the work that the law enforcement agencies are doing to combat crime, particularly the spotlight they have trained on OR Tambo International Airport. We are working with Airports Company South Africa and the South African Police Service to eradicate all manner of misdeeds at OR Tambo,” added Ngwenya.
CEO of South African Tourism, Sisa Ntshona, said in response: “We are deeply saddened by the incident and sincerely apologise to these tourists and the local tour operator team who had to go through this ordeal… We will work tirelessly hard and smartly to regain the lost confidence.”
“We are working closely with our partners, namely South African Tourism, the South African Police Service and the National Department of Tourism, to solve this and other similar incidents. As the tourism industry, we need to work together to create an exciting and inviting destination to encourage tourism, both international and domestic,” said Mmatšatši Ramawela, CEO of the Tourism Business Council of South Africa.
