Finance and Economic Opportunities
In reference to the Airports Company of South Africa stating that air travel into the country is steadily recovering to pre-pandemic levels:
(1) What steps is his Department taking to ensure SMMEs in tourism-focused sectors are well-positioned to take advantage of this influx in relation to job creation;
(2) whether his Department is receiving support from any national government departments; if so, what are the details of this support;
(3) how much money is being allocated to programmes specifically aimed at helping SMMEs create sustainable jobs to match the recovery in international and domestic tourism to the Western Cape?
[a] What steps is his Department taking to ensure SMMEs in tourism-focused sectors are well-positioned to take advantage of this influx in relation to job creation;
The welcome recovery seen in the tourism sector will benefit SMMEs in the sector, as the industry has a substantial SMME base particularly in the transport, accommodation and food and beverage industries.
The Department of Enterprise Development and Tourism has numerous development programmes and projects which are focussed on providing assistance to SMMEs across various sectors. One such programme which is focussed on supporting SMMEs in the Tourism sector is the Tourism Product Development Fund. This fund commits a total of R5 million to support new or existing tourism products and experiences in the Western Cape.
[b] whether his Department is receiving support from any national government departments; if so, what are the details of this support;
The Department does not receive direct financial support from national government departments in respect of tourism SMME development.
To support SMMEs in the Tourism sector, the Department works with the National Department of Tourism (NDT) to implement a number of projects that are geared towards supporting SMMEs in the Tourism sector. One such project is the tour operator incubation programme, benefiting 10 SMMEs in the province, and which aims to provide tour operators with the necessary knowledge, training and skills that will enable them to develop and attract both the domestic and international markets by offering packages or products in the most sustainable and competitive way.
[c] how much money is being allocated to programmes specifically aimed at helping SMMEs create sustainable jobs to match the recovery in international and domestic tourism to the Western Cape?
An amount of R18,75m, over the next financial year/over the Medium Term has been allocated by the Department for Enterprise Development, to support SMMEs across all sectors to take advantage of the post-Covid recovery and to create the right conditions for job creation.
