MTPA says tourism industry will suffer following the Panorama Route staff strike
A spokesperson for the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA), Kholofelo Nkambule, said they will certainly feel the effects of the Panorama Route staff strike, that lasted most of last week, on the area's tourism.
The strike has ended and people are back at work with an agreement between the MTPA and Nehawu having been signed late on Wednesday night.
The MTPA is unable to give a monetary loss figure at the moment, as the audits only happen at the end of each month.
From February 3 to 7, the MTPA generated revenue of approximately R781 575 at Blyde River Canyon and Manyeleti Nature Reserves, excluding other nature reserves managed by MTPA.
“At the end of the first week of April, we should be able to get a recollection of revenue and the likely loss,”
said Nkambule.
Linda Grimbeek, COO of the Kruger Lowveld Chamber of Business and Tourism (KLCBT), said they know of a large number of people who called in about some attractions being closed, but as time passed more of them became aware of the closures and visited other attractions on the route.
The impact, however, is not only negative when it comes to money. Nkambule said Mpumalanga tourism’s reputation also suffered.
Oupa Pilane, CEO of KLCBT, agreed with this statement. “We just came from the attacks of tourists. Just as we are managing the attacks, we had to deal with a service-delivery strike that blockaded roads. We had the custodian of tourism in the province of disrupting tourism.
It will take us years to regain the confidence of the tourism industry.” He said you can imagine many tourists have spent two to three years supporting the tourist attraction sites, only to now find out the people who are supposed to be providing this service are the ones closing them off.
“In future, we need to find a different way. Yes, it is a constitutional right to fight, but that constitutional right must not infringe on the industry that is under so much pressure.”
In terms of rectifying the reputational damage caused by the strike, Grimbeek said they will continue with their marketing efforts and just hope that people inconvenienced by the strike accept their apology.
For Grimbeek, however, the past week’s happenings just serve as more proof that the privatisation of these sites is necessary. “The MTPA loses income, but if we lose clients in the process, it is not going to be them that have to close businesses or retrench personnel – they are state services,” she said.
From the KLCBT’s side, they have 11 WhatsApp groups to help with damage control. These groups are used to notify the industry of any problems on routes and to recommend other routes and attractions.
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