SATSA CEO David Frost thanked Minister de Lille and the Interim Board for their efforts in laying the groundwork for the unprecedented level of cooperation and dialogue between the private and public sector that has flourished under their stewardship to showcase the very best South Africa has to offer the world.
JOHANNESBURG – SATSA, the Voice of Inbound Tourism, welcomes the appointment of the new South African Tourism Board and CEO to give impetus to the organisation in delivering on its mandate of marketing South Africa as a preferred global tourist destination.
This new leadership phase marks a pivotal moment for inbound tourism to South Africa, says SATSA CEO David Frost, who commended Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille and the former Interim SA Tourism Board chaired by Tim Harris on the appointment process, which has been collaborative and thorough.
“We also look forward to working closely with Chairperson Makhosazana Khanyile, new CEO Nombulelo Guliwe and the rest of the skilled board to showcase the immense opportunities for tourism within South Africa. Our mutual goal is to substantially increase visitor numbers, spend and length of stay with a view to realising the Tourism sector’s overall contribution to the country’s economic growth and job creation. With strong leadership and an aligned strategy between private and public sector, we believe this can be achieved,” says Frost.
Among the new board appointees are Ikaneng (Oupa) Ephraim Pilane, also SATSA’s chairperson, and Maija de Rijk-Uys, MD of Go2Africa, a member of SATSA.
“Both Oupa and Maija bring a wealth of experience and insights from the tourism industry to their roles. This will be crucial as private sector works closely with South African Tourism to elevate the country’s profile on the global stage,” Frost adds.
SATSA believes this newly appointed board and CEO, with its diversity and expertise, will take the entity from strength to strength as we grow the tourism industry to become an even greater contributor to South Africa’s GDP and employment.
Reaffirming SATSA’s commitment to working closely with the newly appointed board and CEO, Frost concluded: “This is our chance to implement strategies that will drive sustainable growth, improve the visitor experience, and ensure that the benefits of tourism are widely distributed across our communities. We wish them all the best as they get down to the task ahead.”
FEDHASA National Chairperson applauds new appointments, emphasises collaboration for growth
The Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa (FEDHASA) welcomes the appointment of the new South African Tourism (SAT) Board, chaired by Makhosazana Khanyile, and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Nombulelo Guliwe. The long-awaited appointment of the board and CEO are an important step forward in the growth of South Africa’s tourism industry, which is a key driver of job creation and economic growth in South Africa, says FEDHASA National Chair, Rosemary Anderson.
“We have been particularly encouraged by the Mi nister and Interim Board's commitment to private-sector collaboration. The tourism industry is a complex ecosystem, and we can only achieve our full potential by working together. We are confident that the new board and CEO will be strong advocates for the industry and will work closely with us to develop and implement effective strategies to grow tourism,” Anderson adds.
FEDHASA is particularly interested in working with the new SA Tourism leadership on the following priorities:
• Marketing South Africa as a preferred tourist destination: We need a targeted and effective marketing campaign that showcases the uniqueness of our country to the world.
• Improving the visitor experience: We must work together to ensure that all visitors to South Africa have a positive and memorable experience. This includes improving visa processing times, enhancing their safety, and improving air access.
• Growing domestic tourism: The domestic tourism market is a vital source of revenue for the hospitality sector, and we need to do more to encourage South Africans to travel within their own country.
• Creating jobs: The tourism industry is a major job creator, particularly for the youth and women. Only by working together will we be able to create more opportunities for unemployed South Africans.
“FEDHASA is confident that the new SA Tourism leadership shares FEDHASA’s priorities and is committed to focussing on these in collaboration with the private sector. We look forward to working with them to make the tourism industry an even greater success story for South Africa,” Anderson concludes.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
