The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng notes World Tourism Day and calls upon the Gauteng Premier, Panyaza Lesufi, to radically overhaul the province’s tourism agency. The Gauteng Tourism Agency has proven to be totally ineffective when it comes to attracting new tourists and those who use our airports as gateways to stay an extra two or three nights. More tourists will lead to the creation of much-needed jobs.
As a province, we have a wealth of tourism assets. These include the various places associated with former President Nelson Mandela and other heritage sites of interest to people abroad. We also offer unique experiences of nature and culture.
The fact is that many people come to O R Tambo International Airport to go somewhere else. The province should be far more proactive in marketing our tourist assets and coordinating the tourist offering. When you give incoming tourists a reason to stay for more nights in Johannesburg, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, the West Rand, and the Vaal, businesses within the hospitality industry, such as hotels and restaurants, will benefit. More money will flow into our economy. Businesses will grow and more jobs will be created.
There is no doubt that the Gauteng Provincial Government fails to capitalise on tourism opportunities. The DA will engage the Gauteng MEC for Economic Development, Lebogang Maile, to determine measures being taken to ensure the safety of tourists visiting the province. We want to know what is being done to maintain our tourism infrastructure.
A DA-led Gauteng Provincial Government would increase focus on providing access to tourism facilities, marketing those facilities, and leveraging the various opportunities afforded by our sites and our other assets. In so doing, the DA would ensure that the economy grows, and with it, more jobs would be created.