The Southern African Tourism Services Association (SATSA) extends its heartfelt congratulations on behalf of the inbound tourism industry to the new Minister of Tourism, Derek Hanekom.
Furthermore the organisation welcomes the re-appointment of Deputy Minister Thokozile Xasa who has shown her familiarity and interest in the industry she serves throughout her previous period in the same position.
“We are incredibly fortunate to have Derek Hanekom as our new Minister of Tourism,” says SATSA CEO David Frost. “I worked closely with Minister Hanekom when he was Minster of Agriculture in the 1990s when I was at The Premier Group on de-regulating the agro-food sector and building competitiveness fora. He will bring a considered and balanced wisdom to the sector, and I can’t wait to work with him again.”
SATSA would also like to thank the outgoing Minister of Tourism Martinus Van Schalkwyk for his exemplary work in growing and raising the profile of tourism in our country over the past ten years. We wish him and his great support team well.
“We thank Marthinus van Schalkwyk for his contribution towards growing our tourism economy and making tourism a key contributor to our GDP, and we wish him well in his future endeavors,” added the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) CEO, Mmatsatsi Ramawela.
The Board Chairman of TBCSA, Mavuso Msimang says that the appointment of Hanekom is a positive move, which is welcomed by the travel and tourism private sector. “Derek Hanekom is a ‘salt of the earth’ type of leader who brings into the portfolio considerable administrative experience. After serving as Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs, he went on to take charge of Science and Technology where he is credited with driving South Africa’s successful bid for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project.
“We congratulate the new Minister of Tourism and specifically welcome the establishment of a dedicated Ministry for Small Business Development”, says Eddy Khosa, National Chairman for the Federated Hospitality Association of Southern Africa (FEDHASA). Khosa believes the new ministry will play a critical role in accelerating support for SMMEs and closing the gap which currently exists in stimulating SMME growth.
Key member associations of the TBCSA including the Southern African Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (SAVRALA), the Board of Airline Representatives of South Africa (BARSA), SATSA and the Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA) have all welcomed the retention of Dipuo Peters as Minister of Transport, citing the importance of continuity in addressing issues such as vehicle licensing, road conditions in the country and other transport-related matters which are intimately linked to the delivery of a great tourism experience.
