The drought in the Cape is a national crisis that is putting Brand SA at risk, and a unified, upbeat and consistent message is needed across all tourism sectors to combat negative international publicity, says South African Tourism (SAT) CEO, Sisa Ntshona.
“We need to jealously guard the tourism brand of this country and at the moment it is under attack,” he told a packed JAMMS meeting on the water crisis in Cape Town on Friday. “The last time we had something this catastrophic, and I don’t want to create hysteria, but it was around Ebola in West Africa. That is the stance the world is taking if we are not talking. We have to inform the conversations taking place.”
He said SAT was launching a three-week global roadshow to combat the reputational threat, focusing on the UK, Germany and the US – key Western Cape markets. “When your business is under attack, the first thing you do is go and protect your customers and tell them, a) we are open for business and, b) the same level of service they are used to will continue.” Ntshona said it was time to stop talking about the problem and move into action.
The roadshow will focus on media, wholesalers and tourism authorities. “We are going to meet the media and ensure they are informed with the correct facts. There is a lot of sensationalism happening and we have to address this.” He said the term ‘Day Zero’ –the day when taps run dry – was a swear word in his space, causing panic and hysteria in the market. “We also need to speak to the wholesalers in the key markets and the various authorities such as the UN World Tourism Organisation, the World Travel & Tourism Council and the International Congress and Convention Association.”
According to Ntshona, it was essential that messaging around the Cape’s water crisis was co-ordinated and synchronised around the world using all the available platforms, including SAT’s country offices and the embassies; and the roadshow would also attempt to bring this about.
“It extends to everyone involved in tourism in South Africa. We all need to send the same message. It has to be consistent and upbeat.” Ntshona said he had met with all provincial tourism authorities’ CEOs in recent weeks driving the same message. “We cannot have a Limpopo benefiting from this at the cost of the Western Cape. They can’t put a poster saying come to us we have water. We are one country. What is happening in the Western Cape affects the entire country’s tourism sector.”
Reassuring tourism businesses in the provinces, he said that while they were at the forefront of the water crisis, it was important they realised they were not alone and the sector across South Africa was working with them to avert a catastrophe.
“Doing nothing is not an option,” he said. “If we do that we will lose our prominence as a tourist destination in the world. Tourists have a choice, they can go elsewhere. We will fall off the radar screen and getting back on will cost ten times more effort and ten times more resources. We have to fight.”
Day Zero is expected to move out to mid-May, due to a decline in agricultural usage, however there has been no significant decline in urban usage. Capetonians are urged to continue reducing consumption if Day Zero is to be avoided.
Satsa will be hosting an open meeting to address the Gauteng tourism industry regarding the Cape drought on February 7, at Sandton Convention Centre.
