15 Oct 2024
The tourism minister, Patricia de Lille, has welcomed the finalisation of the White Paper on the Development and Promotion of Tourism in South Africa.
The tourism department published the White Paper in Government Gazette 51354 for implementation on 4 October 2024.
The Green Paper on the Development of Tourism in South Africa was published for comment in Gazette 49223 in September 2023.
Cabinet gave the green light to the White Paper in September 2024.
In a statement, cabinet pointed out that the policy seeks to “increase the contribution of tourism to the broader South African economy through increased volumes of visitors”.
Cabinet confirmed that comments received on the Green Paper were incorporated into the White Paper.
The White Paper now provides an agreed policy framework and guidelines for tourism development and promotion in South Africa.
Cabinet added that the policy will “promote entrepreneurship in the tourism sector and ensure the sector’s enhanced contribution to employment”.
Policy proposals also focus on aligning the tourism policy with current government policy frameworks and enhancing the sector’s resilience and ability to respond to crises.
According to the minister, the White Paper focuses on “promoting safety and security, facilitating ease of access, domestic tourism, crisis management, promoting transformation, enabling technological developments, and recommitting to the responsible tourism agenda”.
In a statement, the department points out that the White Paper was taken through tourism stakeholder consultation sessions across the country’s nine provinces, including local government participation.
According to the minister, the finalisation of the White Paper is a “milestone for the tourism sector as it will provide guidance to the next phase of tourism development and ensure that the country as a tourism destination moves towards reaching its full potential”.
The minister added that the policy “envisages a sustainable, competitive and inclusive tourism sector that leverages on innovation, digital technology, addresses barriers to tourism growth, builds partnerships and responds to the social imperatives of the country”.
“It further will enable the tourism sector’s contribution to the broader economy, employment and entrepreneurship whilst ensuring that the sector becomes resilient as it better responds to the future needs of the tourism sector,” the minister said.
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