South Africa boosting tourist sector<\/p>\n
The South African government invited 26 journalists over from
\nMalaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia last month as part of its
\nefforts to promote tourism and investment. The Jakarta Post's
\nreporter Ivy Susanti filed her report.<\/p>\n
JOHANNESBURG (JP): When American Hasim Rahman surprisingly
\nfloored British Lennox Lewis last week, the globally televised
\nheavyweight bout also promoted South Africa as a major holiday
\ndestination.<\/p>\n
The boxing event took place at the Carnival City casino near
\nJohannesburg, an unusual break from the customary venues of Las
\nVegas, Mandalay Bay hotel, Nevada or Madison Square Garden in New
\nYork.<\/p>\n
The US$111 million Carnival City is the first mega casino to
\nhave been built in South Africa on 44-hectares of wasteland in
\nBrakpan industrial city, about a 40-minute ride from
\nJohannesburg.<\/p>\n
The Carnival city is only one of a number of world class
\nfacilities that South Africa boasts to attract visitors.<\/p>\n
The tourism board has estimated that tourism generates more
\nthan US$10 billion per annum. Over 60 airlines now land at South
\nAfrican destinations.<\/p>\n
The fastest-growing sector within the industry is ecotourism
\nwhich has investment and development potential while adventure,
\nconference, cultural and sports tourism are growing, according to
\nthe board.<\/p>\n
South Africa has claimed itself as the fastest-growing
\ndestination in the world. Between 1994 and 1995 alone, tourist
\narrivals increased by 52 percent, the official statistics show.<\/p>\n
The Chief Executive Officer of South African Tourism (SATOUR),
\nMoss R. Mashishi, said that in 1998 the tourism industry
\ncontributed some 6.2 percent to the gross domestic product (GDP).<\/p>\n
He said that the tourism economy, which includes industry and
\nrelated or dependent activities, contributed 8.2 percent to GDP.<\/p>\n
"The largest number of visitors came from the United Kingdom
\n(UK) at around 350,000 people annually, followed by Germany with
\n260,000 visitors and the U.S. 240,000," he said.<\/p>\n
He said that South Africa had spent half of its annual budget
\nto boost its tourism sector, starting this year.<\/p>\n
"We want to consolidate the top three markets: the UK, Germany
\nand the U.S. We also want to attract more tourists from France,
\nthe Netherlands and Italy. We will spend about 15 percent of the
\nbudget for Asian tourists," he said.<\/p>\n
Destinations<\/p>\n
Another popular resort is Sun City, dubbed a "Kingdom of
\nPleasure", in the North West Province, some 180 kilometers from
\nJohannesburg.<\/p>\n
The City's flagship hotel, the 100-hectare Palace of the Lost
\nCity, is said to be popular among world celebrities. Its only
\nking suite costs $5,000 per night.<\/p>\n
According to Herliane Portenschlager, Sun City's international
\nmarketing and deputy public relations manager, pop star Michael
\nJackson is a frequent guest at the hotel.<\/p>\n
"He comes twice a year and spends about three weeks in Sun
\nCity. When he is here, he likes to visit the Valley of Waves and
\nWaterworld where he goes parasailing," she said.<\/p>\n
After the government legalized gambling in 1996, the gaming
\nindustry in South Africa showed a high growth over the last four
\nyears, attracting large foreign investment and local interest.<\/p>\n
The National Gambling Act allows for a maximum of 40 casino
\nlicenses, which are allocated by the respective provincial
\nauthorities and include the 17 apartheid-era licenses held by Sun
\nInternational South Africa (SISA). SISA was the only legalized
\ngambling operator in that era in the so-called "independent"
\nhomeland states (Transkei, Bophututswana, Venda and Ciskei).<\/p>\n
The Act also allows for the provision of limited payout
\nmachines (LPMs), out-of-casino slot machines with smaller
\npayouts, bingo halls, and a National Lottery, which was launched
\nin March 2000.<\/p>\n
The state is currently reviewing its position on Internet
\ngambling, and legislation is expected on this shortly.<\/p>\n
Townships<\/p>\n
In the country where an apartheid policy prevailed for 46
\nyears, it would be hard to miss visiting the townships which are
\nhome to the native black South Africans.<\/p>\n
A good example for tourists to see is South West Township
\nor Soweto, which is about 15 minutes drive from downtown
\nJohannesburg in Gauteng province. It is popular among foreign
\ndignitaries visiting South Africa.<\/p>\n
The provincial and metropolitan governments and the Soweto
\nHeritage Trust have set about upgrading tourist facilities in the
\narea, beginning with the Hector Peterson Memorial.<\/p>\n
Soweto is home to most of Johannesburg's work force. It's name
\nbecame popular because of the liberation struggle that began here
\nand also for the fact that it is the hometown of two South
\nAfrican Nobel prize winners, former president Nelson Mandela and
\nArchbishop Desmond Tutu.<\/p>\n
Other interesting townships are Sharpeville, a city that was
\nprominent in the historic struggle for the abolition of
\napartheid, and Alexandra, an overpopulated town alongside
\nJohannesburg's wealthiest northern suburbs, housing the 1999 All-
\nAfrica Games athletes' village.<\/p>\n
A place of historical interest is Robben Island prison, which
\nhas been declared a World Heritage site. Mandela spent almost 27
\nyears in this prison, a 45 minute ferry ride from Cape Town.<\/p>\n
While in Cape Town, you may visit the famous Stellenbosch wine
\nroute. Many vineyards in South Africa were established about
\nthree centuries ago.<\/p>\n
The waterfront city is also home to the internationally famous
\nlandmark of Table Mountain. The Cape is now promoting conference
\ntourism.<\/p>\n
Wildlife<\/p>\n
Like other places in the continent, South Africa is home to a
\nwide variety of the world's wildlife.<\/p>\n
Ian MacDonald, head of the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) in
\nSouth Africa, once described the country as the "one percent
\ncountry" because it covers about one percent of the world's
\nground surface and its population of 43.2 million people is less
\nthan one percent of the global population.<\/p>\n
But when it comes to nature, South Africa has 5.8 percent of
\nthe world's mammals, 4.6 percent of its reptiles, 8 percent of
\nthe world's bird species, 16 percent of total marine fish, 5.5
\npercent of documented insects, 2.1 percent of amphibians and 1.3
\npercent of freshwater fish. About 7.5 percent of its higher plant
\nspecies, including a third of all succulents and about 80 percent
\nof South Africa's seed plants are not found anywhere else in the
\nworld.<\/p>\n
You can find those living creatures at national parks and some
\nother popular provincial parks, apart from which there are
\ncountless private game reserves which offer them sanctuary.<\/p>",
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