Tourism minister Patricia de Lille has appealed to South Africans to play an active role in ensuring the safety of visitors, saying government efforts alone are not enough.
This comes as several countries have issued travel advisories warning their citizens about crime in South Africa.
Speaking in an interview on Newzroom Afrika, De Lille said safety must be a collective responsibility, particularly during the busy festive season.
“That’s why we have put the safety information out as far as we can to everyone. But government cannot do it alone. Safety is also the responsibility of all of us,” said De Lille.
“Our Ubuntu, the warmth and the welcoming — we must continue to do that to give visitors the assurance that yes while we regret the attacks on anyone, South Africa to a large extent is safe. We want them to go back and tell their stories about their visit to South Africa.” she said.
On December 4, Canada classified South Africa as a high-risk destination urging travellers to be vigilant because of what it described as a “significant level of serious crime”.
In June, the United States issued a level 2 travel advisory, advising Americans to exercise increased caution due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest and kidnapping.
China also raised concerns in May after reporting a spike in violent crimes against its nationals including kidnappings and a fatal home invasion over a single weekend.
De Lille said the department of international relations and cooperation (Dirco) kept the tourism department informed about such advisories.
“Countries periodically update existing travel warnings as a precaution to all their travellers. From the South African side, we do communicate with our embassies and our missions abroad about the safety plans that we are implementing in South Africa,” she said.
She acknowledged that safety concerns could deter tourists particularly from long-haul destinations
“If you take Canada, for instance, we are concerned because we have seen a double-digit increase of travellers coming from Canada to South Africa. Safety and security concerns are a deterrent for especially long-haul destinations,” she said.
To address these concerns, De Lille said government has partnered with the private sector and law enforcement agencies to strengthen tourism safety measures.
“We have partnered with the private sector this year alone for the festive season. From the department of tourism, we have provided over 202 safety monitors deployed to the Border Management Authority. At least 40 have been deployed at OR Tambo,” she said.
She also said that an emergency response application developed by the private sector is now available to both locals and visitors.
“South Africans and international visitors can download an application called the Secura app. At the press of a button, it gives you access to over 300 security companies. There is also a medical alert, and emergency calls are attended to on a 24-hour basis through a centre in Johannesburg in partnership with Business Against Crime,” said De Lille.
The department has also signed a memorandum of understanding with the police.
“The mandate to look after safety including our visitors is with SAPS. They help us train our safety monitors deployed to hotspots across the country and we have provided them with safety gear and communication tools to assist tourists,” she said.
De Lille said technology, intelligence-sharing and increased visibility at tourism hotspots form part of a broader strategy, though some policing details cannot be disclosed publicly.
She said tourists are provided with safety tips at hotels and guest houses, noting that research shows nearly 30% of international travellers are concerned about safety and often check what measures are in place before deciding to travel.
“In the last financial year, government spent R174m. We employed and deployed 2,300 monitors and this year we have deployed another 1,500. It also provides income, especially for unemployed young people,” said De Lille.
The monitors receive accredited training including an NQF level 4 certificate followed by additional training by the police service.
She emphasised that tourism safety efforts were not seasonal.
“We operate on the same plan right through the year. On a quarterly basis, we meet as the Tourism Safety Forum,” she said citing additional investments by the Tourism Business Council including extra security at Durban beaches and around the Kruger National Park.
Despite ongoing safety challenges, De Lille said the tourism sector has shown strong growth.
“We have seen more than a 16% increase already up until the end of October. The G20 has also added to our growth,” she said.
She credited collaboration between government, the private sector and communities, saying cabinet’s approval of the Tourism Growth Partnership would further strengthen the sector.
“I am for partnerships. This plan was conceived by both public and private sectors and I think next year we will definitely see the fruits of this collaboration,” said De Lille.
TimesLIVE
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