“The aim of the World Travel Awards is to recognise and award excellence in the tourism sector and bolster the industry on a global scale, an initiative that needs to continually be supported in South Africa, as tourism is a steadfast contributor to the country’s GDP,” says Josiah Montsho, general manager of Pepperclub Hotel & Spa.
Montsho points out that according to Statistics South Africa, 10m tourists visited South Africa in 2016, contributing 3% of the country’s GDP, however, the recently released Tourism and Migration statistics for March 2017 reported a year-on-year decrease of 10,9%. This follows a year-on-year decrease in February 2017 of 8,2% and a margin year-on-year increase of less than 0,1% in January 2017. “As an industry, we need to actively promote the country and its offerings in order to attract both international and domestic visitors all year round, as the more the sector grows, the greater the contribution towards the current stagnating local economy.”
He adds that despite this dip in overall tourism figures this year, Cape Town continues to remain one of the top destinations in South Africa for both business and leisure travel. “With a plethora of acclaimed tourist attractions, events, award-winning hotels, and restaurants, as well as a favourable exchange rate for foreign visitors, we expect to see local tourism figures embark on an upward trend in the coming months,” says Montsho.
“We continuously strive to do our utmost in providing our guests with the most pleasurable experience during their stay so that they become return guests to Cape Town and South Africa, thereby enabling us to continue our commitment to supporting the ongoing growth of the tourism and hospitality sector, and the greater South African economy,” concludes Montsho.
For further information on the 2017 World Travel AwardsTM, and to vote for Pepperclub Hotel & Spa, please visit World Travel Awards. Voting closes on 21 August 2017.
