By Matome Sebelebele, tel: (012) 314-2267

Cape Town - Government is to launch a massive campaign to attract more African tourists to this country, as it continues to consolidate its tourism gains from the continent since the dawn of democracy.

According to statistics, two-thirds of the country's foreign tourists come from Africa, contrary to the popular belief that most tourists are from Europe, America and Asia.

The Tourism Gauteng Authority (TGA) reported 18 months ago that African tourists spent about R10-billion in the province alone by simply shopping at its many clothing, food and manufacturing retail stores.

African tourists especially from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the former French colonies, come to the country to shop, attend business and political meetings and take advantage of the vibrant cultural, historic and nightlife of the continent's premier destination.

Authorities also want wealthy African couples to spend their honeymoon here rather than to take a long flight to Europe.

Foreign Affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma told reporters today that government would open its doors to all African tourists as Pretoria consolidated its Pan Africanist foreign policy agenda pillared on poverty alleviation and peaceful conflict resolution among others.

She however dismissed calls by some sections of society calling on government to tighten visa requirements for African tourists, claming that many come here to commit crime or steal jobs.

This, the minister argued, was a "mistaken view."

Government would not shut borders down for Africans wishing to tour here, she said, instead it would encourage them to come spend and experience the country's hospitality and historic richness. 

"I think we should make a distinction between those who come legally...and those who come illegally.

"The point is, those who want to come illegally will come anyway, no matter how difficult your visa is. So it is an irony to try and tighten the visa, which is [also] used by people who come legally," she explained.

Locals, it is argued, tend to sing praises for western visitors with Pounds and Dollars compared to thousands of Africans who come to spend "weak currencies".

Ms Dlamini-Zuma said however that the "there will be no blanket [visa] exemption" and that every case would be treated on its own merit. - BuaNews