There are also growing sub-sectors within it, such as eco and adventure tourism, incentive tourism, health tourism, business and conference tourism.
The Western Cape is also at an advantageous position because tourism in the Province continues to grow above the national average. This is attributed to the fact that Western Cape is the jewel in the crown of South African Tourism.
In 2003 there were 1,5 million foreign arrivals compared to 1,3 million in 2002, which means that we had a 13.8% growth, which is above national average of 1.2%. Our total share of SA Tourism market is 24% which is behind Gauteng's 51%.
The Western Cape also boasts 8 out of 10 top South African tourist attractions as voted by the tourists. The key foreign markets for the Western Cape are the United Kingdom and Germany.
The Government of the Western Cape has recognised the importance and potential of tourism.
For the first time in the history of the Province, the Government of Western Cape has sponsored the training of 22 historically disadvantaged learners to undertake a three-month Tourist Guide training programme at the Cape Technikon. The programme began in late May 2004 and cost the Provincial Government R100 000.
The training included important unit standards as laid out in the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), such as Customer Care and Communication, Guiding Techniques, Cultural and Heritage Tourism and Responsible and Sustainable Development. The 22 trainee Tourist Guides came from different parts of the province, including the West Coast, Boland and Overberg.
A graduation ceremony will be at the Cape Town Hotel School on Saturday, 11 September 2004.
Lynne Brown, the Western Cape Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Tourism will address the Graduation Ceremony. She is also expected to announce that the training programme will be extended to include a mentorship programme.
She said: "The trainee Tourist Guides will undergo a selection process and be placed in a mentorship programme for a further practical work period of three months. A positive outcome of the mentorship programme is that it will assist them to gain additional guiding experience by allowing them to "shadow" other experienced Tourist Guides".
The mentorship programme is a partnership agreement between the Department of Economic Development and Tourism and the Cape Tourist Guides' Association (CTGA).
The trainees will be able to record their time spent with their mentors in a log book which can be shown to potential employers as evidence of experience and used as a type of "reference letter". Once they have completed the programme, the trainees may officially register as Tourist Guides with the Department of Economic Development and Tourism.
Minister Brown indicated that both she and her Department are seriously committed to addressing transformation in the Tourist Guide industry and to creating real sustainable and effective tourism opportunities within the industry.
She said: "At present 60% of tourists in South Africa are local and I believe that, if the products and services are right, there is an immediate opportunity to increase this number considerably. It is the duty of all who graduate from this programme to ensure that they play their role in increasing local tourism to the Western Cape".
For more information contact Thabo Mabaso:Tel: 021-483-3531
Cell: 083-414-8144.
Email: tmabaso@pgwc.gov.za
