South Africa’s Department of Tourism is seeking to bolster the safety of tourists ahead of the festive season through the multi-stakeholder National Tourism Safety Forum.
During a sitting of the forum on December 8, Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille received state-of-readiness reports from all provinces ahead of the peak summer period.
A key element of the national safety plan is the department’s Tourism Monitors programme: a job-creation project that trains youth to assist tourists at national parks and points of entry. Of the 202 Tourism Monitors allocated to South Africa’s Border Management Authority, 40 have been deployed this month at OR Tambo International Airport to strengthen visibility and visitor support.
The forum includes stakeholders from provincial tourism authorities, government, SA Tourism, the TBCSA and the South African Village and Township Tourism Association.
“Safety is the foundation of tourism growth and our ability to collaborate effectively determines how well we protect visitors and the jobs that depend on them,” said De Lille.
Goals of the forum include crime hotspot identification and analysis, establishment of provincial tourism safety forums, victim support and development of a database of crimes committed against tourists.
