Following a progressive meeting that took place at the OR Tambo Intercontinental hotel between the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) and selected captains of the industry – the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) committed on behalf of the travel and tourism sector to work with government to implement its energy efficiency plan.

This according to the TBCSA’s Chief Executive Officer, Mmatšatši Marobe, who says the industry, commends government for this consultative initiative. “We appreciate the fact that government through DPE headed the industry’s cry – rather than just impose certain energy efficient initiatives on us.”

She says despite insight given by DPE regarding the real causes of the current power outages in South Africa, government need to take cognisance of initiatives by the sector which has been going on for years as part of the worldwide industry commitment on Responsible Tourism.

The meeting was attended by a delegation from DPE led by Director General, Portia Molefe and Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) and tourism private sector representatives from major hotel groups City Lodge, Southern Sun, Protea, South African Tourism, Southern African Tourism Services Association (SATSA) and the TBCSA.

According to Marobe, the meeting concluded with an agreement for the government through DPE and DEAT to continue having discussions with the sector to implement agreed energy saving initiatives. It was agreed that the TBCSA as the voice of the travel and tourism private sector should be the point of contact on this joint initiative with DPE and that it should collate industry inputs on the energy efficiency plan. The inputs and recommendations will inform government’s final plan on energy efficiency which will come into action as from 1^st April 2008.

“Our first task will be to form a task team that will collate information on energy efficiency initiatives already in action by the tourism sector and come up with other measures that could be used in ensuring that there are best practices through the sector.”

“It is against this background that we call upon everyone in the industry to be ready to give input on what the industry can do to assist the country in saving energy through the various industry associations and organisations.”

 Marobe says government has publicly accepted its responsibility in the current situation, “but this does not mean that as a sector and society, we should continue with the “usual finger pointing – in actual fact this crisis provides everyone including the tourism sector with the responsibility to roll-up sleeves and start planning for the future and be part of the remedial team.”This crisis gives us as a sector the opportunity to embrace the worldwide Responsible Tourism campaign which our customers have been asking for”. We have the chance to lead the world on this important initiative and to further differentiate our tourism offering to our world visitors.