Tourism in South Africa
South Africa is a popular tourist destination, with around 860 000 arrivals per month (March 2008) of which around 210 000 is from outside the African continent. [1] A revenue equaling between 1% and 3% of GDP is generated by the tourism industry. [2]. Among the main attractions are the diverse and picturesque culture, the game reserves and the highly regarded local wines.
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[edit] Types of tourism
[edit] Ecotourism
It is difficult to know if there is regulation of the term 'ecotourism' as well as what a foundation/association/company needs to do to fall into the category of 'eco-travel'. However, there is a non-profit association that represents the private sector of the "incoming tourism industry in South Africa" (which is a large group) called the South African Tourism Services Association (SATSA), they are "dedicated to providing and maintaining the highest possible standards in the tourism industry within South Africa." (SATSA, 2007) SATSA is focused on the accountability, integrity, and quality control of the tourism industry in South Africa as well as with the companies and associations they are connected to. In addition to SATSA, the website responsibletravel.com partnered with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine have established the Responsible Tourism Awards. The goal of the award is to "recognize individuals, companies and organizations in the travel industry that are making a significant commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and are providing a positive contribution to biodiversity conservation." (www.responsibletourismawards.com, 2001)
[edit] Visitor attractions
[edit] National Parks
In addition to the well known Kruger National Park, South Africa has a large number of other National Parks to visit.
[edit] World Heritage Sites
South Africa boasts a range of cultural, historical, archaeological and geological sites that are protected under the UNESCO World Heritage Site project.
[edit] Cultural and Historical sites
[edit] Major events
[edit] Cultural
[edit] Sport
[edit] Statistics
[edit] Arrivals
| Region | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010[3] | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overseas | 2 216 99 | ||||
| Europe | 1 331 539 | ||||
| North America | 337 65 | ||||
| Central and South America | 120 329 | ||||
| Australasia | 128 149 | ||||
| Middle East | 39 364 | ||||
| Asia | 259 96 | ||||
| Africa | 5 741 177 | ||||
| SADC | 5 564 174 | ||||
| Other Africa | 177 00 | ||||
| East and Central Africa | 80 56 | ||||
| West Africa | 80 27 | ||||
| North Africa | 16 157 | ||||
| Unspecified | 115 381 | ||||
| Total | 8 073 55 |
[edit] Forecasts
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[edit] References
- ^ "Monthly tourism statistics June 2008" (PDF). South African Tourism. 2008-06-03. http://www.southafrica.net/satourism/research/viewResearchDetail.cfm?Action=Download&FileID=29993&ReportTypeCategoryID=65. Retrieved 2008-06-23.
- ^ "SA Economic Research - Tourism Update". Investec. 10 2005. Archived from the original on 2008-06-24. http://web.archive.org/web/20080624211743/http://www.investec.com/NR/rdonlyres/13AEE8DD-1266-420D-B7BE-DCF92C12967F/4035/TourismUpdateOctober2005.pdf. Retrieved 2008-06-23.
- ^ "Tourism, 2010". Statistics South Africa. http://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/Report-03-51-02/Report-03-51-022010.pdf. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
- ^ "Tourism, 2010". Statistics South Africa. http://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/Report-03-51-02/Report-03-51-022010.pdf. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
http://www.southafrica.net/ Official Tourism Website] http://www.satsa.com South African Tourism Services Association] http://www.tourismgrading.co.za Tourism Grading Council of South Africa] http://www1.southafrica.net/ South Africa article on WikiTravel] [http://www.sanparks.org/ South African National Parks
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