South African Business 2018 edition

OVERVIEW
Cape has upwards of 200 mosques and a cosmopolitan lifestyle that
has seen various faiths coexist for many years.
Another potential growth area is health tourism. Upwards of sevenmillion
people travel the world annually for procedures, and South
Africa is well placed to receive a percentage of this market. A conference
held in Richards Bay in 2017 put the focus on issues such as investment,
training and the development of products.
A significant move in the South African hotel sector is the decision
by Marriott International to develop Marriott branded hotels in
Johannesburg and Cape Town. After acquiring the Protea brand in
2014, Marriott introduced “Protea Hotel by Marriott” as the model but
the decision in 2016 to use the mother brand for new hotels suggests
an increased commitment to the local market. In partnership with the
Amdec group, the group will spend about R1-billion on the Marriott
Hotel Melrose Arch (150 rooms) and Marriott Executive Apartments
Johannesburg Melrose Arch (200 flats).
Buying into Protea Hotels has given Marriott access not only to the
South African market, but to many other African countries. Between
Tshwane and Johannesburg (and in the nearby Magaliesberg mountains),
Protea by Marriott has no fewer than 17 hotels across three
brands: Fire and Ice, Protea; Protea Hotels and African Pride Hotels,
the premier brand.
Carlson Rezidor is another group wanting to expand, with plans for
hotels in eight of South African provinces on the schedule.
A lot of effort has gone into increasing the number of South
Africans who take trips within the country. In the 2016/17 financial
year, South African Tourism has committed R100-million to
promote domestic tourism.
Domestic tourism generated
R8.8-billion in the first quarter
of 2016, an improvement on the
same period in the year before.
A Tourism Incentive Programme
(TIP) has been launched by the
National Department of Tourism.
Tourism has been earmarked as
one of the six key growth sectors
in national government’s New
Growth Path.
An Enterprise Development
Project Management Unit (PMU)
has been established. Among
the PMU’s tasks will be to manage
an Enterprise Development
Online Information Portal for
small, medium and microenterprises.
Two tourism incubator
hubs are also to be established
in the Pilanesberg (North
West Province) and Manyeleti
(Mpumalanga Province).
One of the reasons for the
success of South Africa’s tourism
sector is its diversity. Superb
natural beauty, excellent beaches
(45 have Blue Flag status),
incomparable wildlife, vibrant
cities and cultural and heritage
attractions that represent a heterogeneous
population and a
dramatic history, South Africa really
does have it all. Culture and
heritage accounts for fully 40%
of world tourism and is one of
the fastest-growing subsectors.
In the five years to 2021, South
Africa will be the venue for more
than 200 conferences that will
add R1.6-billion to the economy
and attract about 300 000
participants.
South Africa has 19 national
parks and each province has its
own reserves. There are many
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