Tourism in South Africa
Encyclopedia
South Africa
is a popular tourist destination, with around 860 000 arrivals per month (March 2008) of which around 210 000 is from outside the African continent.
A revenue equaling between 1% and 3% of GDP is generated by the tourism industry. . Among the main attractions are the diverse and picturesque culture, the game reserves and the highly regarded local wines.
It is difficult to know if there is regulation of the term 'ecotourism
' as well as what a foundation/association/company needs to do to fall into the category of 'eco-travel'. However, there is a non-profit association that represents the private sector of the "incoming tourism industry in South Africa
" (which is a large group) called the South African Tourism Services Association (SATSA), they are "dedicated to providing and maintaining the highest possible standards in the tourism industry within South Africa." (SATSA, 2007) SATSA is focused on the accountability, integrity, and quality control of the tourism industry in South Africa as well as with the companies and associations they are connected to. In addition to SATSA, the website responsibletravel.com partnered with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine have established the Responsible Tourism Awards. The goal of the award is to "recognize individuals, companies and organizations in the travel industry that are making a significant commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and are providing a positive contribution to biodiversity conservation." (www.responsibletourismawards.com, 2001)
, South Africa has a large number of other National Parks to visit.
project.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
is a popular tourist destination, with around 860 000 arrivals per month (March 2008) of which around 210 000 is from outside the African continent.
A revenue equaling between 1% and 3% of GDP is generated by the tourism industry. . Among the main attractions are the diverse and picturesque culture, the game reserves and the highly regarded local wines.
Ecotourism
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...
' as well as what a foundation/association/company needs to do to fall into the category of 'eco-travel'. However, there is a non-profit association that represents the private sector of the "incoming tourism industry in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
" (which is a large group) called the South African Tourism Services Association (SATSA), they are "dedicated to providing and maintaining the highest possible standards in the tourism industry within South Africa." (SATSA, 2007) SATSA is focused on the accountability, integrity, and quality control of the tourism industry in South Africa as well as with the companies and associations they are connected to. In addition to SATSA, the website responsibletravel.com partnered with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine have established the Responsible Tourism Awards. The goal of the award is to "recognize individuals, companies and organizations in the travel industry that are making a significant commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and are providing a positive contribution to biodiversity conservation." (www.responsibletourismawards.com, 2001)
National Parks
In addition to the well known Kruger National ParkKruger National Park
Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers and extends from north to south and from east to west.To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is...
, South Africa has a large number of other National Parks to visit.
World Heritage Sites
South Africa boasts a range of cultural, historical, archaeological and geological sites that are protected under the UNESCO World Heritage SiteWorld Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
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Sport
- 2010 FIFA World Cup2010 FIFA World CupThe 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
- Comrades MarathonComrades MarathonThe Comrades Marathon is an ultramarathon of approximately 90 km run in the Kwazulu-Natal Province of South Africa between the cities of Durban and Pietermaritzburg. It is the world's largest and oldest ultramarathon race...
- RugbyRugby footballRugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
- CricketCricketCricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
Arrivals
| Region | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overseas | 2 216 99 | ||||
| Europe | 1 331 539 | ||||
| North America | 337 65 | ||||
| Central and South America | 120 329 | ||||
| Australasia | 128 149 | ||||
| Middle East | 39 364 | ||||
| Asia | 259 96 | ||||
| Africa | 5 741 177 | ||||
| SADC | 5 564 174 | ||||
| Other Africa | 177 00 | ||||
| East and Central Africa | 80 56 | ||||
| West Africa | 80 27 | ||||
| North Africa | 16 157 | ||||
| Unspecified | 115 381 | ||||
| Total | 8 073 55 | ||||