South Africa: Tourism Stops Tottenham Hotspur Sponsorship Proposal

Following my replace to the media on 24 March 2023 on the SA Tourism and Tottenham Hotspur FC sponsorship proposal, as requested, on Wednesday 29 March 2023, I acquired a response from the SA Tourism Board Chairperson relating to the proposed sponsorship deal.

In a letter from the SA Tourism Board Chairperson, based mostly on the recommendation I’ve given to the board and which I had publicly acknowledged, that the deal mustn’t proceed, the SA Tourism Board has agreed to not proceed with the proposal. The SA Tourism Board will not proceed with the transaction, nor will it search the concomitant requisite approvals for the proposed transaction.

As acknowledged earlier than, within the present financial local weather, using public funds should be fastidiously thought of and for any division to fulfil its mandate, it should be carried out in a value efficient manner, exploring a number of choices and with due consideration for all priorities.

Our justification for any vital spending should nonetheless make sense by way of the broader financial local weather we discover ourselves in as a rustic. On this regard, I look ahead to persevering with to interact SA Tourism’s board and government administration, as I’ve carried out in my first two weeks in workplace, and dealing with them and the Division of Tourism on strategic actions we will take to reinforce South Africa’s place globally as a prime vacationer vacation spot.

I will even proceed partaking SA Tourism and the division in additional element on the Division’s funds to make sure that we fulfil our mandate of rising customer numbers to South Africa, offering the mandatory assist to allow progress, enhance job creation and enhance the sector’s contribution to the economic system.

It’s my hope that each one proposals going ahead will likely be mentioned on the earliest time to make sure that the myself and the division, along with our fundamental entity SA Tourism, works collectively from the onset and seeks recommendation and assist from each other whereas following all due processes and legislative necessities. This matter is now concluded and we’ll proceed working collectively to discover all avenues, create the atmosphere conducive for the non-public sector to take a position and crowd in on authorities initiatives throughout the legislative framework to develop tourism, welcome extra guests to our stunning nation and create extra jobs for folks on this sector.