HERITAGE AS A RESOURCE FOR TOURISM By Adv. Sonwabile Mancotywa CEO of the National Heritage Council Presented at Cities Indaba 2012 Seminar 13 May 2012.

HERITAGE AS A RESOURCE FOR TOURISM

By Adv. Sonwabile MancotywaCEO of the National Heritage Council

Presented at Cities Indaba 2012 Seminar

13 May 2012

CONTENT1. Heritage and Cultural Tourism in Context 2. Milestones and Recent Developments in the

Heritage and Tourism Sectors3. International perspectives4. Key Challenges 5. Recommendations

3

HERITAGE AND TOURISM IN CONTEXT

4

HERITAGE AND TOURISM IN CONTEXT

Tourism like Heritage is a matter of shared competence amongst the three spheres of government in South Africa;

Heritage and Tourism are intertwined and mutually depended on each other for success;

Heritage largely drives tourism in South Africa in South Africa although the economic scales tilted in favour of the latter;

Unlike Tourism there is a general lack of appreciation of the importance of Heritage as a significant contributor to socio-economic development even at budgeting level across the three spheres of government.

5

HERITAGE AND TOURISM IN CONTEXT

The year 2012 has officially been declared as the Year of Heritage with many activities already taking place with international visitors showing keen interest in participating in.

South Africa marked the turning of 100 years by the ruling party as the oldest liberation movement in the continent which arouses interest form citizens of the world to visit South Africa.

Liberation Heritage has been placed at the highest echelon of government’s priority programmes as announced by the State President, Mr Jacob Zuma in his State of the Nation Address (SON) in February last year.

In his State of the Nation Address in February 2012, President Jacob Zuma announced massive infrastructure development projects that government would be implementing of which Legacy Projects linked to the Liberation Heritage Route project forms a larger part.

6

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE HERITAGE AND TOURISM SECTORS

7

RECENT DELOPMENTS IN THE HERITAGE & TOURISM SECTORS

Both the Ministers of Tourism, and Arts and Culture have given their budget Votes (speeches) in Parliament on 03 May 2012 adding impetus to the interconnectedness of Heritage and Tourism;

The launch of the National Heritage and Cultural Tourism Strategy by the National Department of Tourism during march 2012;

The Launch of the Rural Tourism Strategy by the National Department of Tourism in April 2012;

In the recent past, the debate of the conflict between heritage development and conservation around mining for example has gained momentum.

8

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE HERITAGE & TOURISM SECTORS (Cont….)

Government is spearheading and driving the implementation of the National Growth Path by the Department and its entities and by implication Heritage and Tourism Growth are part thereof;

The hosting of the Mzansi Golden Economy Summit which positions Arts, Culture and Heritage as significant contributors to socio-economic growth by the Minister of Arts and Culture in June 2012 also lays the foundation for Tourism Development;

The approval of the Mzanzi Golden Economy Strategy by National Treasury which would unlock funding for Arts, culture and heritage and by implications add impetus to the development of heritage tourism is another milestone;

The Establishment of the National Conventions Bureau as a business unit within Tourism South Africa led to South Africa securing the hosting of more than 200 international conferences in the next five years which is a positive sign that the two industries are growing significantly.

9

RECENT DELOPMENTS IN THE HERITAGE & TOURISM SECTORS

Tourism despite the setback of the world credit crunch of 2010 remains the fastest growing sectors in South Africa with increased numbers of inbound and outbound tourists visiting South Africa

The Minister of Tourims has just announced in his budget speech on 03 May 2012 that South Africa’s Status as a premier global leisure destination is now firmly established.

South Africa has outpaced its competitors globally in the leisure sphere for its richness in both cultural and natural diversity;

10

GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES AND TRENDS

11

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS AT THE INTERNATIONAL FRONT

The year 2012 marks the Celebration of the 40th anniversary of the World Heritage Convention in Japan

The attainment by 8 (Eight) South African Sites of World Heritage Status that made it to the prestigious World Heritage Property List can only be herald as significant milestone booster of Heritage Tourism;

South Africa will this year be hosting the African Chapter of the UNESCO Conference on World Heritage which will give her an opportunity to develop a shared African perspective on the link between development and the preservation of current and envisaged world heritage sites.

12

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS AT THE INTERNATIONAL FRONT

Confirmation of the declaration of Table Mountain as one of the Seven (7) Wonders of the World by the “New 7 Wonders Foundation” on 03 May 2012;

Table Mountain becomes the only African representative in the continent to attain the & Wonders of the World status which augurs well for Tourism development in South Africa

The legacy projects that came through the successful hosting of the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup in South Africa for the first time in the African Continent add impetus towards growing the tourism industry;

The Hosting of the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa during January 2013 soon after the 2010 Soccer World Cup can only be herald as a vote of confidence for South Africa as an international tourism destination of choice.

13

KEY CHALLENGES

14

KEY CHALLENGES

Global warming directly affects cultural and natural heritage in a manner that affects tourism attractions;

Mining and development have increasingly set communities and conservationists on a war path. The case of Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape is one example that is well documented.

Crime knows no boundaries and does affect tourism directly;

Acts of terrorism also directly impacts on tourism growth as tourists fear travelling to areas prone to such attacks. Kenya is one but example;

Lack of beneficiation strategy for communities.

15

KEY CHALLENGES (Cont...)

Insufficient funding to promote heritage and tourism sectors;

Lack of grassroots development of Heritage Tourism at community level;

Poaching of game especially for rhino horns has gained notoriety at levels beyond comprehension and threatens the survival of the animals themselves;

Lack of appetite to fully leverage on the existing cultural agreements that South Africa has signed with most of the countries at the dawn of democracy;

Lack of policy to counter theft of heritage resources that are stolen across the borders

16

RECOMMENDATIONS

17

RECOMMENDATIONS

Need for the development of a Fund resourced out of benefits accruing from cultural heritage tourism to benefit Heritage.

Need for a beneficiation strategy for the communities;

A policy on mainstreaming heritage in development that NHC has been developing be prioritised;

A strategy to counter poaching of rhinos for their horns be development through collaboration with all stakeholders

A policy on repatriation of heritage resources especially taken through illegal means be developed (NHC is developing one)

18

Thank You