29/07/2002

Summary
WTTC will release the findings of its research on the outlook for South Africa's Travel & Tourism and its impact on the South African economy at a one-day seminar in Johannesburg on 1 August 2002.

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the global business leaders' forum for the Travel & Tourism industry, has targeted South Africa as one of its high priority countries for 2002. The Council will be in South Africa at a one-day conference at the Sandton Convention Centre on August 1 2002 to deliver a comprehensive report on the current and future economic outlook for the industry, as well as a series of public policy recommendations aimed at building South Africa's Travel & Tourism.

The Council has invited a prominent group of industry and government leaders and media to attend the launch of the WTTC report for South Africa in a concerted attempt to open dialogue between industry and government to kick-start efforts towards development and job creation in the sector.

According to WTTC's President, Jean-Claude Baumgarten, "This South Africa report is the culmination of extensive economic and policy research sponsored by leading industry players, both globally and locally. Our South Africa Steering Committee has agreed that the time is right to deliver this research and initiate a national, provincial and local community effort that will transform a lacklustre outlook to one of high expectations."

Preliminary results from the report indicate that South Africa's Travel & Tourism will require significant policy attention from national and provincial governments to build and maintain a competitive future for the industry. The report includes a series of policy recommendations ranging from tourism management to aviation policy, to safety and security, which the Council believes are mission critical for South Africa's Travel & Tourism success.

WTTC Members are Chief Executives from all sectors of industry, including accommodation, catering, entertainment, recreation, transportation and other travel-related services. The Council's central goal is to work with governments to realize the full economic impact of the world's largest generator of wealth and jobs - Travel & Tourism.