The South African Department of Tourism has invited all eligible tourism enterprises to take part in the Green Tourism Incentive Programme’s (GTIP) 9th application window – opening today (January 25) and closing on March 31.
The development of the GTIP was informed by escalating electricity prices, the intensifying pressure on the national energy grid and the negative impacts of load-shedding, as well as water scarcity and drought conditions which negatively affect the tourism sector.
The programme encourages private-sector tourism enterprises to move towards the installation of solutions for the sustainable management and usage of electricity and water resources.
For this financial year, the Department has set aside R199m (€9.6m) to disburse to successful GTIP applicants.
GTIP has already assisted 173 tourism businesses across the country with electricity and water solutions to the total grant value of R104m (€5m). The solutions that were installed as part of this process helped reduce input costs and increase operational sustainability and competitiveness. A further 419 active applications are at various stages of processing.
The Department has worked closely with the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) to develop the GTIP for the sector to ensure an enhanced and uninterrupted visitor experience for tourists. Funding applications and approvals for the GTIP are managed by the IDC.
Eligible applicants are able to qualify for the full cost of a new energy and water efficiency audit or the review of an existing audit. Furthermore, eligible applicants are also able to qualify for grant funding of between 50% and 90% (capped at a maximum of R1m (€48 675) per applicant) on the cost of approved solutions that will improve energy and water efficiency and reduce the costs of their tourism operations.
Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille, said: “This programme is one that I am most proud of, which the department is able to offer the tourism sector, whereby going green, tourism establishments are able to offer an uninterrupted visitor experience and ensure that the sector can continue to operate despite energy and water constraints.
“This initiative is also vital to our efforts to adapt and mitigate the impacts of climate change by helping businesses use water wisely and use clean forms of energy thereby reducing carbon emissions. I encourage businesses to apply for this support by the Department of Tourism so that we can keep the tourism sector green.”
The GTIP not only assists in reducing pressure on the national electricity grid and water resources of the country, but also reduces operational input cost and facilitates increased competitiveness and operational sustainability in the tourism sector.
For more information or to apply for the GTIP programme, visit www.tourism.gov.za.
