Latest news with #FederatedHospitalityAssociationofSouthAfrica
Time Out
6 days ago
- Business
- Time Out
South Africa remains a safe and welcoming destination for travellers
In response to renewed international scrutiny following recent political commentary, South Africa's hospitality leaders have stepped forward to reaffirm the country's unwavering commitment to visitor safety and world-class service. The Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa (FEDHASA) and the Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA) are united in their message: South Africa remains a safe, vibrant, and welcoming destination for international and domestic travellers. 'Our hospitality industry upholds some of the highest service and safety standards globally,' says Rosemary Anderson, National Chairperson of FEDHASA. From luxury hotels to intimate guesthouses, South African establishments follow stringent health, safety, and security protocols, ensuring peace of mind for millions of guests each year. Despite ongoing national challenges, not uncommon in many parts of the world, the hospitality sector has implemented robust systems to safeguard travellers. These include integrated security technology, highly visible policing in tourism hotspots, real-time support platforms like the Tourism Safety Support Unit, and extensive staff training in emergency response. SATSA CEO David Frost echoes these sentiments, cautioning against sensationalised narratives that don't reflect the real experiences of travellers. 'Millions of tourists arrive safely every year and leave with memories filled with awe, not fear,' he says. Visitor satisfaction remains high, and travel demand from key markets like the U.S. has fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels, with 372,362 American tourists arriving in 2024. Safety-focused initiatives — including a national helpline, the Secura Traveller App, and public-private collaboration — contribute to the continued smooth operation of tourism hubs across the country. 'This industry supports livelihoods across the nation,' adds Frost. 'A single visitor's journey can ripple out to benefit entire communities.' For those planning a trip, the message is clear: South Africa is open, ready, and eager to share its legendary hospitality, diverse landscapes, and resilient spirit with the world.
IOL News
26-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Golf's role in driving sports tourism and economy in South Africa
The tourism and hospitality sector have praised the sport of golf in boosting the economy and bringing international tourists to KZN and South Africa. The tourism and hospitality sector have praised the sport of golf in boosting the economy and bringing international tourists to KZN and South Africa. This comes after golfing legends Ernie Els and Retief Goosen were invited as part of President Cyril Ramaphosa's delegation to meet US President Donald Trump at the Oval Office in Washington on Wednesday. Rosemary Anderson, national chairperson of the Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa (Fedhasa), said on Friday that golf was a powerful driver of tourism and hospitality, especially in South Africa where we boast some of the world's most scenic and high-quality golf courses. 'From the Garden Route to the highveld, South Africa offers championship-standard courses at a fraction of the cost compared to those in Europe, North America or China,' Anderson said. 'This combination of affordability and excellence is an untapped opportunity in the international market, which could be better leveraged to grow inbound tourism. SA Tourism should be targeting this untapped market with vigour.' Anderson added that sport tourism was a significant economic booster. 'It supports not only the direct sports venues but also stimulates broader travel spend - accommodation, dining, transport, and experiences. Golf, with its global appeal and affluent following, can contribute meaningfully to local economies, particularly in off-peak travel seasons, due to our wonderful weather in our country – golf is a year-round sport,' she said. Anderson said it was frustrating that South Africa has not aggressively gone after the golf market to attract more tourists to the country. 'Golf is more than just a sport; it's a global network that opens doors on many levels, including diplomacy. It was telling that during a recent diplomatic engagement at the White House, President Ramaphosa included South African golf legends Ernie Els and Retief Goosen in his delegation - an astute move, as former President Trump is famously passionate about golf and its champions,' she said. 'This illustrates the soft power and universal appeal of golf. Promoting South Africa as a top-tier, yet affordable, golfing destination can position the country as a premier choice for leisure and business tourism alike.' Umhlanga Tourism chairperson Jeannie Sarno said that sport tourism should always be a section in tourism to be calculated and considered. 'Especially golf. Durban has the perfect weather all year round, and it would be silly for us in tourism not to take full advantage of this and amongst other sports that could be looked into for future events,' Sarno said. Dr Vusumuzi Sibiya, CEO of South Coast Tourism and Investment Enterprise (SCTIE), said that the KZN South Coast, which is known colloquially as 'The Golf Coast', was fortunate to have 11 quality golf courses, many of which offer a backdrop of the Indian Ocean set among stunning coastal forests. 'These are a major tourism attraction for visitors looking for a golf weekend getaway, or for those simply looking for a fun recreational activity while visiting this beautiful region,' he said. Sibiya added that golf remained one of the world's most popular sports and was a key strategy for business networking and engagement. 'The KZN South Coast is a top MICE [meetings, incentives, conferences, and events] destination, with our golf courses providing the perfect setting to host corporate days, fundraising events, and professional golf competitions such as The Wild Coast Classic, the Thursday Ladies Challenge Golf, and the South African Women's Masters.' Visit:
IOL News
03-05-2025
- Automotive
- IOL News
Economic depression impacts local tourism
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport has reported a significant reduction in road fatalities over the recent Easter weekend. Image: Henk Kruger / Independent Newspapers DESPITE a notable decline in vehicle accidents and fatalities during the Easter period, experts suggest that economic factors may have led to reduced domestic travel in South Africa. The Automobile Association (AA) this week announced road crashes decreased by 32.5% while fatalities declined by 45.6% compared to the same period last year – marking the lowest Easter-weekend figures recorded in the past three years. However, authorities in the hospitality and economic sectors believe that far less motorists were on the roads due to belt tightening measures and the uncertainty over the proposed Value Added Tax (VAT). The AA attributed the drop in the number of fatalities to high-visibility law enforcement, impactful public education under the theme #GotHomeSafe, and multi-sector collaboration that played a critical role in influencing road user behaviour. While celebrating the overall decline in crashes and fatalities, the AA expressed concern over the increase in fatalities in Mpumalanga and the ongoing high number of pedestrian deaths, which now accounts for nearly 50% of all road fatalities nationally. The Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa has seen a strong cooling off of the domestic economy. Image: File Brett Tungay, chairperson of the Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa (FEDHASA) East Coast region believes the decline in crashes was directly in line with the decrease in tourist volumes coming into KwaZulu-Natal. "Since the beginning of this year, there's definitely been a drop in the domestic market coming into the province. It has been busy but not traditional Easter and long weekend busy. "The long weekends were busy, but where historically we would have seen good trade through the midweeks, we are not seeing that this year. From the restaurants and accommodation, we are seeing a strong cooling off of the domestic economy," said Tungay. He said the VAT increase debacle had a huge negative impact for the economy. "That is going to psychologically play on the domestic spend for a couple of months, unfortunately. "People are not seeing the economic changes anticipated with the Government of National Unity (GNU). They are seeing more of the same, not creating any growth at all, which is disastrous. Unfortunately when it comes to hospitality we are a luxury spend," said Tungay. Economist Dawie Roodt said people may have stayed home because of the economy. "The petrol price came down nicely and that should've boosted the demand for travelling, but the macroeconomic environment is not good for travelling. "Macroeconomic conditions are not good. On a per capita basis we are probably poorer today than we were a year ago. Unemployment is also a significant reason for reduced travel. All the industries are suffering in the country," he said. Roodt said the political uncertainty around the VAT issue and the possibility of the GNU coming to an end creates uncertainty and anxiety as well. "My estimate for economic growth this year is probably going to be less than 1% because of all the uncertainty. And uncertainty is bad for the economy and I guess that also contributed to less people travelling," said Roodt. Dr Ntokozo Nzimande, senior lecturer in the Department of Economics at the University of Johannesburg, said due to the cost of living people could have chosen to minimise travel which may be the reason why there is a drop in the number of crashes and fatalities on the road. "People want to save and minimise travel. At the time there was also the concern about whether the VAT would increase or not. That changed people's purchasing power. They were cautious of the VAT increase. People are avoiding big and unnecessary spending as they are aware of the hard times to come," said Nzimande.
