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The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) is a state organ responsible for tourism and environment in South Africa. DEAT’s primary aim is that of leading the sustainable development of our environment and tourism for a better life for all, through:
- Creating conditions for sustainable tourism growth and development for the benefit of all South Africans;
- Promoting the conservation and sustainable utilization of our natural resources to enhance economic growth;
- Protecting and improving the quality and safety of the environment;
- Promoting a global sustainable development agenda; and
- Transformation of the tourism sector.
This aim is carried through six integrated departmental programmes championed by organizational units referred to as branches and supported by dynamic public entities and statutory bodies. These programmes are administration, Environmental Quality and Protection, Marine and Coastal Management, Tourism, Biodiversity and Conservation and Sector Services and International Relations. The public entities and agencies who continue provide impetus through tourism marketing, research, resource accounting and product development amongst others are South African Tourism, South African National Parks, Tourism Grading Council of South Africa, Isimangaliso Wetland Park Authority, South African National Botanical Institute and South African Weather Service.
The main objective of the DEAT’s tourism programme is to ensure that conditions for sustainable tourism growth, development and competitiveness are created. The department is also implementing programmes that are designed to maximize the tourism potential of the 2010 Soccer World Cup as well as NEPAD and SADC Tourism, Environment, Marine and Coastal initiatives.
One of the current constraints for tourism growth in the SADC region is a lack of investment, which can partly be ascribed to the fact that the international investment community is unaware of tourism investment opportunities in the region. A proactive effort is therefore required in order to attract investment in a diversity of products, infrastructure, support services and entertainment. In an effort to stimulate investment and unlock the potential of the tourism industry to address current regional development trends, DEAT has taken an increasing role in coordinating the marketing and infrastructure and investment planning initiatives in the region through the Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs). The department is coordinating the process of identifying, costing and packaging development opportunities. These opportunities will then be marketed to potential investors through different avenues including publicly marketed investment conferences, business meetings, various web site links, and print media. These important initiatives seeks to build on successes of deliverables such as the Giriyondo tourist access facility, and the soon to be opened Mata-Mata, Sendelingsdrift and Sani Pass tourist access facilities.
The support of our agencies like South Africa Tourism, Tourism Grading Council, South Africa National Parks and others like the International Marketing Council, Tourism and Hospitality Education and Training Authority, Statistic South Africa and SADC are key to our successes.
DEAT is a proud sponsor of the Hospitality and Investment Conference Africa 2007.
Contact our call centre on 086 111 2468 or visit our website www.deat.gov.za for more information
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