SA ‘holding its own’ globally, says minister

SA TOURISM’S six month report indicates that the country is holding its own in the global marketplace. So said tourism minister, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, speaking at last week’s national tourism conference themed ‘Gearing up for 2010’. The report confirms that the equivalent of an additional 37 jumbo jets full of visitors arrived by air in the second quarter of 2004 (an increase of 0,8% ). While there was a decline in certain markets during the first quarter, this has been compensated by significant growth in the second quarter, especially out of Asia and Australasia (+23%) and the Americas (+15%). The total foreign direct spend for this quarter has also increased over the same period last year, from R7,8bn to R8,6bn. Said the minister on the last six months’ results: “What is clear is that we are now entering a phase in which our core markets are consolidating and our new markets are starting to flourish.” (Natalia Thomson)