Ramaphosa stood up in Parliament on Thursday and emphasized the importance of tourism. And then he killed 2019 tourism.
When he decided on a general election on 8 May, didn’t any body bother to look at the calendar? Indaba, the biggest tourism expo in South Africa, usually the destination for foreign investors and visitors, takes place on 8 May.
And arrangements are now too far to re-schedule or postpone. Cancelling would cost millions, not only in wasted funds, but in lost revenue.
A number of influential people in the tourism world indicated that they will not be attending this year, on the one hand because they need to be home for voting day, on the other: Why go to the expense of setting up a stall at Indaba if nobody is going to be there?
Ramaphosa just killed Indaba 2019. And the tourism industry will feel the effects. How is it possible that such elementary things cannot be considered while trying to govern a country?