LAST Tuesday, the Chief Executive Officer of South African Tourism (SA Tourism), the national tourism agency responsible for the marketing of South Africa as a preferred tourist destination, Ms Thandiwe January-Mclean, held a media briefing to intimate Nigerians of plans to open an office in the country beginning with a skeletal staff this year and fully fledged operations within the next couple of years.
As part of the commitment of South Africa to Nigeria, a new South Africa Chancery and residential building have been built in Abuja.
The completion of the Chancery and residential building marks another milestone in the commitment of brand South Africa in Nigeria as well as to build on the continuous existing good relationship between both countries.
At the briefing, January-Mclean also reiterated SA Tourism commitment to the bilateral tourism and business relationship between South Africa and Nigeria with the renewal of the Joint Marketing Agreements (JMAs) with selected Nigerian trade partners.
Last October, SA Tourism signed a JMA with five trade partners — Tour Brokers International, World N Traveland, Tourways International, CGSK Tours and TTL Tours — to sell affordable destination South Africa packages to Nigerians.
The JMAs have been assisting consumers by ensuring their all-inclusive travel package are handled by travel professionals in Nigeria who guarantee better rates, hassle-free arrangement and memorable holidays or business tours to South Africa.
According to January-Mclean, “we are proud of the success recorded in the JMAs in Nigeria. This achievement has led to its expansion to accommodate two new trade partners; Zeep Travel Network and American Express to further deliver affordable brand South Africa packages to Nigerians.”
The appointment of independent visa processing firm, VFS Global Services, to facilitate the South African visa issuing process put in place by the South African High Commission has ensured an efficient and hassle-free visa application process for all Nigerians willing to travel, explore and experience South Africa’s multi-faceted tourism offering.
“Granting South African visa to applicants who meet the stated requirements within the period of six working days has boosted the potential of surpassing our targeted figure for the Nigeria tourists arrivals in South Africa this year,” January-Mclean said.
A four-year research project conducted by SA Tourism from 2007 to 2010 shows a consistent average growth rate of 7.8 per cent in tourists’ arrivals from Nigeria to South Africa. A total of 178, 052 Nigerians visited South Africa between this period.
The average tourist spend of the Nigerian market in South Africa amounted to 14, 700 rand (about N308, 700) per tourist in 2010 with 587 million rand (about N12.3 Billion) recorded as the total spend in the same year.
Most recent SA Tourism statistics for January 2011 revealed that 4,220 Nigerians visited South Africa compared to 3, 491 who visited in January 2010 for either leisure or business purposes reflecting an increase of 20.9 per cent.
“Nigeria remains the leading African market in terms of tourist arrivals to South Africa. There is a huge untapped market and great potential for further growth in Nigeria. Nigeria’s large population characterised by high economic growth and an expanding middle class are major factors that make Nigeria an attractive market for SA Tourism. The number of tourists arrivals from Nigeria has consistently grown at 7.8 per cent yearly over the past three years,” disclosed January-Mclean. “Based on our research, Nigeria is identified as the hub of West Africa and a great base for SA Tourism to centralise tourism functions and activities within the region. This of course is based on the country’s standing as the powerhouse of West Africa and its growing economy, large population, increased use of technology and political stability.”
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