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INITIATIVES FOR SECTOR DEVELOPMENT

Retosa Presentation To The SADC Meeting Of The 20th Trade Negotiating Forum-services

by Simba MandinyenyaActing Executive Director

18 -19 November 2013, Johannesburg RSA.

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RETOSA and its Mandate in regional tourism

Global Best practices/TrendsSouthern Africa’s Market Share of Global Tourism

General Challenges Facing the Region’s Tourism Sector and RETOSA Initiatives on Sector Development Common Vision

Facilitation Common Visa, Accessibility, ICT and Digital ConnectivityProduct Quality and SustainabilityRegional Destination Marketing

Challenges in Trade in Tourism Services and RETOSA Initiatives on Sector Development Tourist Cross border movement by both International and SADC nationalsCross border movement of Tourism InvestmentCross border movement of tourism operators with clients (TFCAs)

• Conclusion

Content

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RETOSARegional Tourism Organization of Southern Africa

RETOSA is a SADC institution mandated to : Promote regional tourism development in Southern Africa. In a manner that is ethical and equitable for the mutual benefit of all Member States.RETOSA is supposed to provide leadership in driving tourism growth and development in a region endowed with an unparalleled tourism resource base

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It is important to note: Tourism ‘s linkage with almost every other sector of the economy Tourism growth leads to growth in other sectors Hence, Stakeholder awareness of the strategic nature of tourism

is critical .

Southern Africa enjoys only 2% of global tourism cake. This has been so for the last 2 decades.

Paradigm shift needed to grow market share to a target of 5% by 2027.

To achieve this it means Southern Africa tourism growth rate must be sustainably higher than the global average.

Regional Tourism

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Global market intelligence informs us that the top performing tourism regions of the world have very strong intra-regional tourism. Poor performing regions have weak intra-regional tourism. Tourism is growing more rapidly in those regions that are uniting to enter the

global market place as a block.Regions like the EU, North America and closer home ECOWAS exempt their citizens for a visa to travel within the region.

On the global stage it’s mainly the regional destinations competing for the tourists. Global trends show that almost every other regional destination is now

implementing a common visa for tourists South America, Central America, South East Asia, Caribbean, closer home in East

Africa; Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya will start implementing a single visa from January 2014.

Global Trends

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MSs compete for tourists , This must be when the tourist is in the region. Key issues that underpin the success of a regional tourism block are

Common VisionAccessibility, Facilitation, Product Quality and SustainabilityRegional (single) Destination Marketing Approach

The 21st global tourist is an:Experienced and well exposed traveller,With high expectations,Wants more for less time and less money.Is now demanding a green product Wants multi-destinations when going long-haul

General Challenges Facing the Region’s Tourism Sector

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Why a common vision is important?

A common visa regime consolidates the image and perception of a single destination

Long-haul visitors prefer to visit more than one destination when they reach a regional destination

They also prefer destination that are more welcoming and user friendly to the visitors.

VISA Regimes are a proven tourism growth factor in different regions and destinations of the world.

Challenges Facing the Region’s Tourism SectorCommon Vision

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Different levels of economic and tourism development has led to lack of a common ground and therefore Common Vision. If SADC is to grow its tourism market share from 2% to a target of 5%. In SADC a common visa regime is an issue that has been on the agenda for the last 15 years. The establishment of a common visa, the UNIVISA can not be delayed any longer.

RETOSA Initiative on the Common Visa

A regional common visa (UNIVISA) is an initiation of the regional tourism sector through RETOSAFor 15 years SADC has been discussing the UNIVISAAll this period RETOSA has kept the issue on the agenda including Educational, Awareness and Advocacy programs

Challenges Facing the Region’s Tourism SectorCommon Vision RETOSA Initiative

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MSs after a long time have now agreed on a phased approach in implementing the UNIVISA 7 piloting countries with Zambia and Zimbabwe spear heading the

process. The rest of MSs to join as and when they are ready. RETOSA has been educating and advocating for the UNIVISA, has

facilitated funding from WB.

RETOSA continues to urge Zambia and Zimbabwe not to go back starting with Harare, Lusaka, Livingstone and Vic Falls.

This will give impetus to implement the UNIVISA for the other 5 piloting countries going forward.

Intra regional Tourism is key: VISA exemption for SADC nationals This is work in progress under the Protocol on free movement of SADC Citizens.

Challenges Facing the Region’s Tourism Sector and RETOSA initiative on the issue of Facilitation

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UIVISThe UNIVISA is necessary, but not adequate for SADC to meet the 5% target. Even with a common visa tourists need fast user friendly transport systems.

Accessibility is another key factor for rapid growth: The following is required.

Implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision on open skies.

Infrastructure development of airports.

Infrastructure development of seaports for boat cruises

Infrastructure development of roads and rail passenger transport systems

Challenges Facing the Region’s Tourism Sector on Accessibility and RETOSA initiatives

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The global travel and tourism industry is changing in a dramatic way

One of the main driver is the technological advances in the ICT sector.

From the way we store destination information, make that info accessible a ns communicate with users.

To how a tourist can communicate with friends and relatives once in the destination. Access to internet etc.

All these are now a must allowing tourists to make decisions, book and pay for a holiday in the comfort of their homes. The application payment and having a visa is now being done online through the smart electronic visas.

Challenges Facing the Region’s Tourism Sector on ICTand RETOSA initiative

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UNIVISProduct Quality: At the end of the day RETOSA must be able to market Southern Africa as a single destination. This calls for harmonization of tourism quality Standards.The product itself must be Value for money and competitive when compared against what other destinations are offering.

RETOSA initiativesHarmonization of the regional tourism quality standards, Started with Accommodation facilities.To include other sub sectors like transport and activities as agreed by the sector.

Product quality is also determined by infrastructure and services offered by other sectors. RETOSA continues to Lobby relevant authoritiesThe SADC Infrastructure development Master Plan is a timely development for the sector.

Challenges Facing the Region’s Tourism SectorProduct Quality and Sustainable Tourism Development

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Regional Destination Marketing: RETOSA’s Marketing Strategy is based on Marketing the region as a single but multi faceted destination of 15 MSs.

The success of our Marketing programs are dependent on the success in the issues raised above.

Challenges Facing the Region’s Tourism SectorRegional Destination Marketing

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There is so much that the regional tourism sector through RETOSA can do.The limitation is given by the very nature of the sector, its inter linkage and therefore dependence on other sectors mainly transport, security sector, Public Works etc.

Challenges Facing the Region’s Tourism Sector and RETOSA initiative on Tourism Sector Development

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Vision and Key Strategies

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Build our capacity in Tourism Statistics: What you cannot measure you cannot manage.We must not just be able to collect statistics, We must

be able to use such market intelligence at every level.We must measure the impact of all tourism programs at

every level ( Positive and Negative) We must measure our carbon footprint and eco-

compansation. Build our capacity in Tourism Strategic PlanningWithout a vision a destination perishes. There is no substitute for tourism development planning.RETOSA has an exclusive agreement with WES Institute to provide short term courses in Tourism Strategic Planning and Destination Marketing.

Key StrategiesMeasurement, Statistics and Strategic Planning

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RETOSA commissioned a study on the Identification of Barriers to Trade in Tourism Services in 2011The main issues that came out of the study can be synthesised to the following:

Cross border movement by International touristsTourist Cross border movement by SADC nationalsCross border movement of LabourCross border movement of Tourism InvestmentCross border movement of tourism operators with

clients (TFCAs)Differences in tourism policies, regulations creating an

uneven operating environment..

Challenges in Trade in Tourism Services and RETOSA Initiatives on Sector Development

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Without repeating the issues raised alreadyRETOSA is advocating for the removal of agreed barriers to trade in tourism services across SADC borders.

The argument is that if our region is to become competitive, sustain above global average growth rates in arrivals and amount spent in the destination we need to allow: The easy movement of Human capital across the borders

to where it is needed the most. Movement of Financial capital Easy movement of tourists across borders Harmonization of the tourism regulatory regime is critical Equally important is the understanding of tourism’s links

with all the other sectors of the economy and that some of the barriers go beyond the tourism sector itself.

Challenges in Trade in Tourism Services and RETOSA Initiatives on Sector Development

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RETOSA is aware of that to gain a global market that we deserve we must target the following key marketsDomesticRegional International from outside the region starting with Africa., our traditional markets and newly emerged markets.

RETOSA is aware that any sustained growth in regional tourism will result in spill over growth in other sectors of the economy. That tourism is a strategic sector for overall economic development for the region.

Conclusion

2020

THANK YOU