South Africa is wooing investors from the UAE to its attractive tourism sector by highlighting various investment opportunities in South Africa’s travel and tourism industry.
To this end, the South African Department of Tourism held a tourism investment seminar in Dubai to attract investors from the UAE. The seminar was part of an ongoing programme by the South African government to strengthen the investment ties between the UAE and South Africa, especially in the field of tourism.
Headed by Shamilla Chettiar, Deputy Director-General, Destination Development, South African Department of Tourism, the 12-member delegation consisted of representatives from the Department of Tourism, provincial tourism promotion agency and the North West Tourism Board, South Africa’s Industrial Development Corporation, IDC, and project promoter, Incopho Coastal Resorts.
During the investment seminar, guests were provided presentations and overviews regarding the marketing of South Africa as a tourist destination, detailed information regarding the investment landscape, opportunities and government support, as well as hearing first-hand experiences from a UAE investor in South Africa’s tourism industry. Private meetings were then held between potential investors and members of the South African delegation.
“We are targeting the United Arab Emirates because of the high concentration of high-net-worth-individuals (HNI) with investable assets, as well as the growing outbound market from the Gulf region to South Africa,” said Kenneth Siphelelo Hlela, Director of Tourism Investment Coordination at the South African Department of Tourism. “We are aware that to grow the UAE outbound market to South Africa, we need to develop products that respond to that market. Therefore, our planned investment mobilisation efforts are in line with the South African Tourism’s marketing efforts in that region. We want to assure both investors and the South African travel industry that South Africa is doing everything to keep up with the demand through mobilising investors who will ensure that demand is matched by our supply,” he said.
“We want to assure both investors and the South African travel industry that the South Africa is doing everything to keep up with the demand through mobilising investors who will ensure that demand is matched by our supply,” he concluded.
The South Africa government’s tourist agency plans to boost visitor numbers by over 40 percent by 2021.
South Africa welcomed around 11 million tourism visitors in 2018, making it one of the most popular destinations on the continent. The tourism sector contributed three per cent to South African gross domestic product in 2018 and employs nearly 700,000 people.
