AS PART of its ongoing South-east Asia roadshow, the Africa Showcase 2015 were in Singapore yesterday to meet with the trade and promote travel interest to South Africa.
Johannesburg-based On Show Solutions, an events company, together with South Africa’s National Department of Tourism hosted the showcase.
Exhibitors including South African Airways, South African Tourism, Cango Caves, Private Safaris, Rainbow Tourism Group, Rovos Rail, Thompson Gateway and Sunlux Collection by Sun International were brought in to feature their products.
Hazel Ngubeni, high commissioner of South African High Commission Singapore, mentioned in her speech that tourists arrival numbers have dropped due to the Ebola situation in Africa.
“We are experiencing a drop in visitor arrivals due to the Ebola scare in the past year. What many people don’t realise is that the epidemic is in West Africa and we (South Africa) hasn’t seen a single case of Ebola,” she said.
She added that she hopes to see the National Department of Tourism working closely with local travel agencies to organise fam trips.
When questioned about whether the showcase is exclusively catered to South African destinations, Ngubeni explained that they want to package the whole of Africa as a travel destination instead of just focusing on South Africa.
“We hope to encourage tourists to come visit South Africa and, at the same time, travel to other parts of Africa as well. There are waterfalls, wildlife and mountains as well as a range of activities that they can experience,” she added.
The Africa Showcase will next be in Jakarta on August 20, and followed by Russia, Ukraine, the US, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, before ending in Australia and New Zealand.
Reporting by Samuel Ng
