By Jeremy Gordin and Mike Cadman
The statistics used by the government to boast about South Africa’s ability to attract tourism are, at best, “a sleight of hand” because the numbers are not a reflection of real tourism.
This was the response of Professor Loren Landau, the head of the University of the Witwatersrand’s forced migration studies programme, to an analysis (by country of origin) of the statistics used by the government to claim the fastest growing tourism in the world.
In 2007, a total of 9,07-million foreigners visited South Africa - an 8,3 percent increase over 2006 - as the country broke its record for annual tourist arrivals for the third year running.
But 2-million (just over 22 percent) of the 9 million official, annual visitors come from Zimbabwe and Mozambique, while another 3-million tourists come from Lesotho and Swaziland.
This means that 5,2-million of South Africa’s visitors emanate from four of the poorest countries in the world. Read the rest of this entry »
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The LZR Racer has triggered a wave of world records in the pool. Now German swimmers say they could be clad in an even better high-tech suit at the Beijing Olympics.
Adidas developed a new suit after complaints in Germany that the country was headed to an Olympic fiasco against the Speedo suit.
“This gives us courage,” said Helge Meeuw, silver medalist from the Athens Olympics men’s 4×100 meter relay team. “This product is on the same level and may be even better.”
During the first two months after the LZR Racer’s introduction, 22 world records were shattered. Japan’s Kosuke Kitajima swam the latest record Sunday in the suit, touching at 2 minutes, 7.51 seconds in the men’s 200 meter breaststroke. Read the rest of this entry »
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KANNUR (KERALA): The Kerala government has prepared a Rs.1000 crore ($238 million) project to improve basic tourism infrastructure and is trying to mobilise funds for it, Home and Tourism Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has said.
Addressing a meeting Sunday at Irritty, about 70 km from Kannur, he said: “Many states are availing funds from ADB (Asian Development Bank) to improve tourism infrastructure. If the terms are acceptable, we can also avail of the loan from them.” Read the rest of this entry »
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If you’re planning a vacation in California this summer, you may want to get a copy of “California Road Trips 2008,” a free guide published by the California Travel and Tourism Commission. The guide, which divides the state into 12 regions, includes maps, itineraries and ideas for places to stop, including historic sites, wineries, parks, beaches and lakes. Featured attractions include waterfalls and rivers in the Shasta Cascade area; eco-friendly attractions along the North Coast; a family guide to San Francisco; and exploring the history of gold and mining in Gold Country. Read the rest of this entry »
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