South Africa boosting tourist sector

South Africa boosting tourist sector

The South African government invited 26 journalists over from
Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia last month as part of its
efforts to promote tourism and investment. The Jakarta Post's
reporter Ivy Susanti filed her report.

JOHANNESBURG (JP): When American Hasim Rahman surprisingly
floored British Lennox Lewis last week, the globally televised
heavyweight bout also promoted South Africa as a major holiday
destination.

The boxing event took place at the Carnival City casino near
Johannesburg, an unusual break from the customary venues of Las
Vegas, Mandalay Bay hotel, Nevada or Madison Square Garden in New
York.

The US$111 million Carnival City is the first mega casino to
have been built in South Africa on 44-hectares of wasteland in
Brakpan industrial city, about a 40-minute ride from
Johannesburg.

The Carnival city is only one of a number of world class
facilities that South Africa boasts to attract visitors.

The tourism board has estimated that tourism generates more
than US$10 billion per annum. Over 60 airlines now land at South
African destinations.

The fastest-growing sector within the industry is ecotourism
which has investment and development potential while adventure,
conference, cultural and sports tourism are growing, according to
the board.

South Africa has claimed itself as the fastest-growing
destination in the world. Between 1994 and 1995 alone, tourist
arrivals increased by 52 percent, the official statistics show.

The Chief Executive Officer of South African Tourism (SATOUR),
Moss R. Mashishi, said that in 1998 the tourism industry
contributed some 6.2 percent to the gross domestic product (GDP).

He said that the tourism economy, which includes industry and
related or dependent activities, contributed 8.2 percent to GDP.

"The largest number of visitors came from the United Kingdom
(UK) at around 350,000 people annually, followed by Germany with
260,000 visitors and the U.S. 240,000," he said.

He said that South Africa had spent half of its annual budget
to boost its tourism sector, starting this year.

"We want to consolidate the top three markets: the UK, Germany
and the U.S. We also want to attract more tourists from France,
the Netherlands and Italy. We will spend about 15 percent of the
budget for Asian tourists," he said.

Destinations

Another popular resort is Sun City, dubbed a "Kingdom of
Pleasure", in the North West Province, some 180 kilometers from
Johannesburg.

The City's flagship hotel, the 100-hectare Palace of the Lost
City, is said to be popular among world celebrities. Its only
king suite costs $5,000 per night.

According to Herliane Portenschlager, Sun City's international
marketing and deputy public relations manager, pop star Michael
Jackson is a frequent guest at the hotel.

"He comes twice a year and spends about three weeks in Sun
City. When he is here, he likes to visit the Valley of Waves and
Waterworld where he goes parasailing," she said.

After the government legalized gambling in 1996, the gaming
industry in South Africa showed a high growth over the last four
years, attracting large foreign investment and local interest.

The National Gambling Act allows for a maximum of 40 casino
licenses, which are allocated by the respective provincial
authorities and include the 17 apartheid-era licenses held by Sun
International South Africa (SISA). SISA was the only legalized
gambling operator in that era in the so-called "independent"
homeland states (Transkei, Bophututswana, Venda and Ciskei).

The Act also allows for the provision of limited payout
machines (LPMs), out-of-casino slot machines with smaller
payouts, bingo halls, and a National Lottery, which was launched
in March 2000.

The state is currently reviewing its position on Internet
gambling, and legislation is expected on this shortly.

Townships

In the country where an apartheid policy prevailed for 46
years, it would be hard to miss visiting the townships which are
home to the native black South Africans.

A good example for tourists to see is South West Township
or Soweto, which is about 15 minutes drive from downtown
Johannesburg in Gauteng province. It is popular among foreign
dignitaries visiting South Africa.

The provincial and metropolitan governments and the Soweto
Heritage Trust have set about upgrading tourist facilities in the
area, beginning with the Hector Peterson Memorial.

Soweto is home to most of Johannesburg's work force. It's name
became popular because of the liberation struggle that began here
and also for the fact that it is the hometown of two South
African Nobel prize winners, former president Nelson Mandela and
Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Other interesting townships are Sharpeville, a city that was
prominent in the historic struggle for the abolition of
apartheid, and Alexandra, an overpopulated town alongside
Johannesburg's wealthiest northern suburbs, housing the 1999 All-
Africa Games athletes' village.

A place of historical interest is Robben Island prison, which
has been declared a World Heritage site. Mandela spent almost 27
years in this prison, a 45 minute ferry ride from Cape Town.

While in Cape Town, you may visit the famous Stellenbosch wine
route. Many vineyards in South Africa were established about
three centuries ago.

The waterfront city is also home to the internationally famous
landmark of Table Mountain. The Cape is now promoting conference
tourism.

Wildlife

Like other places in the continent, South Africa is home to a
wide variety of the world's wildlife.

Ian MacDonald, head of the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) in
South Africa, once described the country as the "one percent
country" because it covers about one percent of the world's
ground surface and its population of 43.2 million people is less
than one percent of the global population.

But when it comes to nature, South Africa has 5.8 percent of
the world's mammals, 4.6 percent of its reptiles, 8 percent of
the world's bird species, 16 percent of total marine fish, 5.5
percent of documented insects, 2.1 percent of amphibians and 1.3
percent of freshwater fish. About 7.5 percent of its higher plant
species, including a third of all succulents and about 80 percent
of South Africa's seed plants are not found anywhere else in the
world.

You can find those living creatures at national parks and some
other popular provincial parks, apart from which there are
countless private game reserves which offer them sanctuary.