An Australian travel advisory cautioning travellers of potential crime-related occurrences that visitors to South Africa might encounter has highlighted the importance of travellers’ safety and its critical role in sustaining South Africa’s tourism sector.

With the travel and tourism sector contributing 2.9%, an estimated at R125.1bn (€8.44bn) toward the South African gross domestic product, local government has reacted swiftly to the advisory – knowing the importance of inbound tourism – stating that it contains misleading information about SA in general, in particular about the experiences of foreign tourists visiting the country.

“South Africa remains one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, and tourists in most instances have pleasant experiences of the country,” said Lindiwe Sisuli, International Relations and Cooperation Minister, in a statement on April 18.

Crime is a reality in South Africa like anywhere else. The problem comes in when tourists are unprepared and oblivious to their surroundings, says Jared Higgins, CEO of Secure Drive, a member of the Arcfyre Group.

“Complacency is critical in becoming a victim of crime. When one is not paying attention – that is when crime happens. Ignorance is the single greatest factor that puts people visiting our country at risk – and when you’re travelling for business or on holiday, you shouldn’t have to worry about being a potential victim of crime. Working with partners who are familiar with the political climate, know what the do’s and don’ts are, have in-depth knowledge of crime hotspots, and know general safety and security precautions, adds significant value to a traveller’s experience in any unfamiliar location. Drivers who are trained in skill sets like defensive driving and hijack prevention significantly mitigate any traveller’s safety and security risk profile,” comments Higgins.

He says precautions should always be taken when travelling to any foreign destination, and travellers need to do their homework, properly preparing how to travel to certain destinations. Therefore, tour operators need to provide travellers with enough context to make informed decisions.

Mitigating potential risk factors for tourists in SA comes down to three things: education, training and situational awareness, says Higgins, who further emphasises the need for transparency.

On the topic of safety, Higgins advises tour operators that they should ensure that the drivers supplied for their visitors’ transport modes, for example minibus taxis, are properly vetted and trained appropriately. They should, for instance, be trained on how to avoid a pothole without affecting a passenger’s journey.

As for security, tour operators need to upskill their drivers, by ensuring they complete courses in advanced driving, first aid, and so on. Higgins says tour operators should be obligated to ensure that their drivers are reliable and have high standards.

Brand awareness plays a key role for tour operators, however Higgins says this potentially exposes visitors to crime, as the branding of tour buses, for example, puts passengers at risk with regard to crime.

“We have crime like anywhere else. The issue is the violence associated with these crimes in SA,” comments Higgins.

Moving forward, Higgins says: “Tourism and government need to work together to send out the right message. It is important for people to work together. If the perception of fear exists, people will not visit, and that needs to change.”