By Jeremy Gordin and Mike Cadman
The statistics used by the government to boast about South Africa's ability to attract tourism are, at best, "a sleight of hand" because the numbers are not a reflection of real tourism.
This was the response of Professor Loren Landau, the head of the University of the Witwatersrand's forced migration studies programme, to an analysis (by country of origin) of the statistics used by the government to claim the fastest growing tourism in the world.
In 2007, a total of 9,07-million foreigners visited South Africa - an 8,3 percent increase over 2006 - as the country broke its record for annual tourist arrivals for the third year running.
But 2-million (just over 22 percent) of the 9 million official, annual visitors come from Zimbabwe and Mozambique, while another 3-million tourists come from Lesotho and Swaziland.
This means that 5,2-million of South Africa's visitors emanate from four of the poorest countries in the world.
The statistics used by the government to boast about South Africa's ability to attract tourism are, at best, "a sleight of hand" because the numbers are not a reflection of real tourism.
This was the response of Professor Loren Landau, the head of the University of the Witwatersrand's forced migration studies programme, to an analysis (by country of origin) of the statistics used by the government to claim the fastest growing tourism in the world.
In 2007, a total of 9,07-million foreigners visited South Africa - an 8,3 percent increase over 2006 - as the country broke its record for annual tourist arrivals for the third year running.
But 2-million (just over 22 percent) of the 9 million official, annual visitors come from Zimbabwe and Mozambique, while another 3-million tourists come from Lesotho and Swaziland.
This means that 5,2-million of South Africa's visitors emanate from four of the poorest countries in the world.
Hi Guys,
sorry to say ... I told you so ... back in 2004 already. so we organise biker weekends, but the local residents complain.
we want beach driving, but the guest houses complain.
So what are we going to do know. The bulk of our tourist are street vendours selling cheap knock offs competing with tax paying bussiness..
Please note that they are extremly axposed to Xenophobia, thus not a very stable customer base...
So St. Lucia has experienced a Bed & Breakfast Explosion .... may be the 2010 soccer world cup will fill the beds!
I know I am going to wach the game on my new Z8 cellphone with video streaming. Got two from Vodacom for R135.00/month including free minutes.
I see Cell C have them for R100.00/month including 100 free minutes.... So maybe the tourist will come to South Africa and watch the soccer with our cheap
band width while they enjoying lesuire time next to your pool or on a game drive....
I ask again, why can't we drive on the beaches...? to be continued.....!!!
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