SOUTH AFRICA TOURISM ON THE RISE?

tourism plays a vital role in South Africa, with benefits spanning into the economic, socio-cultural and environmental sectors. According to a report by the World Travel and Tourism Council, (WTTC) the total contribution of tourism to South Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP) was R402bn in 2016 (9.3% of GDP) and is expected to grow by 2.5% to R412.2bn (9.4% of GDP) in 2017. The growth is forecasted to rise by 4.2% per year to R624.2bn by 2027, or 11.5% of GDP.

In 2016, the contribution of the tourism sector to employment in the country was 1.5 million jobs, or, 9.8% of total employment in South Africa, and growth is expected to rise to 6.7% in 2017. Essentially, that means that the tourism sector will contribute 1.6 million jobs or 10.2% of total employment, and that is by no means a small percentage. By 2027, international tourist arrivals to South Africa are expected to total 19 million, with a contri bution of R271.3bn and an increase of 7.3%.

With so much revenue potential, the tourism industry in South Africa has been described as an uncapped potential. Josiah Montsho, General Manager at Pepperclub Hotel & Spa in Cape Town’s CBD, is encouraged by the increase in passengers travelling through Cape Town International Airport. In 2016, the airport was visited by a record-breaking 10 million passengers. There was an 8% year-onyear increase in 2016, with over 500,000 visitors in December alone. This is in stark contrast to