Preserving. Innovating. Empowering (P.I.E) tourism in South Africa

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Let me tell you a story. The month was April, the year was 1976, and a boy was born who had no idea about an uprising that would take place exactly sixty days after his birth. He only heard about it afterwards through healing songs sung soulfully from the southern tip of Africa, songs of healing, heritage empowering, the inner landscape of men and women whose effort gave birth to the beautiful love and lifestyle destination called South Africa. While this story may not make sense at the moment, it is instrumental to this writer’s lenses on the whole notion of preserving, innovating and empowering tourism.

South Africa’s encouragement of sustainable tourism, through eco-friendly and sustainable practices, is possibly a secret that has seen it unlocking and attracting environmentally conscious travellers, while it also continues with the preservation of this rainbow nation’s beauty and resources.

Supporting local communities is a sustainable tourism secret South Africa adopts, promoting local tours and products to tourists which directly contributes to the economic development of rural areas, otherwise known as “township economies”, empowering local communities and preserving culture and traditions.

An example of a global success in diversifying tourism offerings is Bhutan. Bhutan has successfully transformed itself from a remote and isolated country to a popular tourism destination by offering a unique combination of natural beauty, rich culture, and a commitment to sustainable tourism practices, through diversified offerings to appeal to a wider range of visitors, including adventure travellers, spiritual seekers, and nature enthusiasts. The country offers a range of activities, such as trekking, rafting, and bird-watching, as well as cultural experiences like traditional festivals, monastic festivals, and local crafts.

By offering a diverse range of experiences, Bhutan has been able to attract a wider range of visitors, increasing its tourism revenue and supporting local communities. At the same time, the country has been able to preserve its natural and cultural heritage, establishing itself as a model for sustainable and responsible tourism.

This example demonstrates how diversifying tourism offerings can attract a wider range of visitors and support economic growth, while also preserving a country’s unique cultural and natural heritage.

Infrastructure investment, through upgrading transportation and accommodation options, particularly in rural areas, make it easier for tourists to visit and support the local economy.

Promoting responsible tourism is another secret sauce that truly encourages tourists to engage in responsible behaviour, such as minimizing waste and respecting local customs, and helping in the  preservation of the environment and local communities.

South Africa’s support of the tourism industry fosters innovation thereby encouraging start-ups and entrepreneurs in the tourism industry bringing forth new ideas and perspectives to the industry, leading to more sustainable and efficient tourism practices, something I personally noticed during the Africa Travel Indaba held at the Albert Luthuli Convention Centre, Durban, May 1-5, 2022.

No doubt, South Africa is investing intentionally in itself – flourishing and encouraging eco-friendly and sustainable practices in tourism to promoting and implementing tourism practices that have a minimal impact on the environment and are designed to be long-term and sustainable including:

• Minimizing water usage: Implementing water conservation practices in tourist accommodations, such as low-flow showerheads and toilets. This I can attest to during the roadshow leading up to Africa Travel Indaba (ATI) as, interestingly, the hotel I stayed in Cape Town had notices placed on the taps and in the bathroom about this; which is something good.

• Supporting local communities: South Africa has a saying, “local is lekker”, which encourages tourists to buy locally made products and use local services, supporting the local economy and preserving cultural heritage and as the saying goes, charity begins at home. When a country commits to the encouragement of local businesses, its nation flowers and flourishes. Seeing local transport companies, chefs, pilots playing a part in the Africa travel indaba indeed was a testament to this commitment.

• Protecting wildlife: Promoting responsible wildlife tourism practices, such as avoiding captive animal experiences and promoting eco-tourism activities that support conservation efforts is something South Africa leads and continues to practise; possibly packed together, aided South Africa’s tourism sector recovery, according to statistics.

• Statistics South Africa (STATSA) key performance indicators showing: International tourist arrivals in 2022 were 1.6 million people, even though it was some 35% lower than it was before covid.

• Length of nights stayed was 11.6 nights

• Total bed nights was 18 million

• Geographic spread 11.2%

• Satisfaction rating was 4.5 star

Total foreign direct spend amounted to R15.5 billion. South Africa no doubt is on an upward trajectory and remains number one on the African continent and will continually preserve, innovate and empower (P.I.E) the tourism sector. If you’ve never been to South Africa, February is a good month to visit and is open to tourists, tourism stakeholders, meetings, incentive conventions and exhibitions professionals.

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