Every now and then we catch wind of how many tourists visit South Africa and just how critical these numbers are to not only our economy, but also as regards keeping us in touch with international trends.

One of the big issues is how at home these tourists feel when they are in our country.

According to South African Tourism (Sat) CEO Thulani Nzima, one of the deciding factors for travellers when choosing a destination is that country’s food offering – if this does not meet their needs, they often go somewhere else.

“Food is something that we take for granted, but it is only when the type of food we are used to is not readily available do we realise just how important it is to us,” says Nzima at the launch of The Guide To Vegetarian, Vegan And Jain Dining In South Africa, which took place at the University of Johannesburg’s School of Tourism and Hospitality.

But all it takes is a quick scan around popular tourist destinations to realise that all sorts of people visit our country, so why did Sat  decide to launch a recipe book that caters only to vegan, vegetarian and Jain visitors?

“We are concentrating on emerging markets that are making up the bulk of visitors to South Africa, and India is one of those markets. In fact, the numbers are doing so well that India will soon be out of the emerging markets and be considered a major player in our tourism industry,” says Nzima.

“This is why we have consulted with our Indian counterparts, regarding how we can cater for their distinct dietary requirements. We hope that this book is going to place us in an advantageous position when tourists from other emerging markets such as Brazil and China want to go on holiday.”

The Guide To Vegetarian, Vegan And Jain Dining In South Africa was compiled with the assistance of professionals who deal with tourists on a daily basis: hospitality chefs.

“The success and existence of this book is very much dependant on the involvement of the South African Chefs Association.

Without these hospitality professionals letting us know what tourists mention to them in terms of South Africa’s food, we would not know how to cater for them,” says Nzima.

“They are the ones that came up with the recipes in the book.

These recipes also serve a secondary function of helping other chefs to better cater for this market.

Tourists need to know that they can come to South Africa as much as they possibly can without their dietary needs being compromised.”