The National Federation of Tourist Guides Associations (NFTGA) has called on the government to assist members – around 9 000 active guides – with specially allocated and ring-fenced mitigation packages, aimed at sustaining jobs and ensuring capacity for the restoration of services once business resumes, as has been the case in many other countries.
“As the NFTGA, we would like to see recognition from the South African Government for the extremely important role that tourist guides, tourism drivers and all freelancers play in the success of the tourism industry,” said NFTGA spokesperson, Francois Collin.
According to him, most guides will not qualify for any government support. And it’s not related to the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment criteria. “It is simply because they are not registered businesses, and their contribution to the industry, and the fact that many pay taxes (but not UIF) is being brushed aside because the government does not understand the industry, nor how it operates,” said Collin.
He pointed out that the tourism sector relied on tourist guides, drivers and other mostly freelance sectors to deliver the end product to tourists. “Without them, the primary source markets would not have grown to the size that they are today, and the various tourism businesses that will be funded through the economic relief schemes would not be able to deliver their products,” emphasised Collin.
“The tourist guide sector plays a key role in leveraging efforts to preserve and promote natural and cultural heritage, and together with tourist transport, it is in the best interests of the country to ensure that the capacity is in place once business resumes.”
Collin believes this is a prerequisite for the restoration of the services required to support the stimulus that will accelerate the recovery of job creation in all the other related sectors. “The subsequent economic recovery in community and sustainable tourism are obviously intertwined.”
Tourvest backs its guides
CEO of Tourvest Destination Management (TDM), Martin Wiest, agreed, highlighting that this was why the company was committed to assisting its guides with the processing of applications that would enable them to claim financial support.
“Guides are the most important link in providing services to our future clients and hence assisting our loyal, long-serving colleagues is not only the right thing to do, but totally logical,” he said.
Head Guide at TDM, Alisha Kirk, added: “I can only say with great pride that I am part of a business that continues to embrace and support our freelance tourist guide community.”
She said that, throughout the years, TDM had been one of very few tour operators that insisted on contributing to the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) on behalf of its freelance tourist guides, even though it was always a contentious topic amongst its colleagues.
“Subsequent to the recent events, I cannot stress how this contribution has become a much-needed lifeline,” added Kirk, commenting that the essence of the UIF Temporary Employee Relief Scheme initiative and UIF in general, by definition excluded the self-employed and freelancers, some of the most vulnerable industry members, from successfully applying for relief funding.
“It also prevents small tour operators that operate in their personal capacity as sole proprietors, and are therefore not registered companies, from complying with the requirements posted on the application forms by government,” said Kirk.
