Training of Staff Members at Embassies and Consulates to promote the Tourism Industry in South Africa

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NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

FOR WRITTEN REPLY

QUESTION NO: 1314 (NW1524E)

PUBLISHED IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO 13-2012 OF 18 MAY 2012

MR EH Eloff (DA) To ask the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation:

Whether staff members at (a) embassies and (b) consulates are trained to promote the tourism industry in South Africa; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?

REPLY:

The Department of International Relations and Co-operation trains all Foreign Service Officers, who are bound for transfers to South African Embassies and Consulates, also known as Missions, abroad in Tourism promotion.

Recently, tourism promotion has been strengthened through the expanded programme approved by Cabinet that instructed the Department of International Relations and Co-operation to conduct Economic Diplomacy training for all of its South African diplomats. Economic Diplomacy, therefore, incorporates trade and investment promotion, the South African brand (Brand SA) and tourism promotion. The Economic Diplomacy module is delivered in collaboration with the National Department of Tourism, South African Tourism, South African Tourism Services Association and other stakeholders in the tourism industry that includes provincial and local government. The programme is delivered by experts in the field that utilise their knowledge and skill to enable our diplomats to be fully functional in their area.

There is certainly room for improvement and discussions are on-going with the National Department of Tourism to expand the programme outside of Economic Diplomacy to give more content or detail to tourism promotion.

In addition, officials abroad are also invited to attend annually the Tourism Indaba as part of their training on tourism promotion.

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