Saturday 28 / December / 2024
Muscat: South Africa is growing as an investment and tourism destination for Omanis, the South African Ambassador in Muscat, Major-General Lungile Chris Pepani said.
“We continue, as a country, to enjoy cordial relations with Oman. A vibrant interface between the business communities of our two nations is increasing, and so are the tourist levels. We expect fruitful results from these interactions and visits in the form of even more business opportunities for a win-win situation for both countries,” he said.
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Pepani said South Africa continues to make its mark in the global world of tourism. “South Africa’s beaches, hotels, restaurants, nature reserves, fashion lines and routes are putting our country constantly on the world stage,” he stated.
The South African Embassy said in a statement that South Africa’s unique tourism attractions and innovative operators continue to garner global recognition.
The Garden Route was recently named as one of the 10 best walking routes in the world by The Telegraph, an influential newspaper in the United Kingdom. The Telegraph said the trails of the Garden Route tour covered some of the best coastal trails, forests and gorges in South Africa. The 16-day trip starts from Table Mountain and includes the Alexandria Trail and the Addo Elephant National Park.
The inclusion of the Garden Route in the top 10 list puts it at par with well-known walking routes in Italy, France and Costa Rica.
The luxurious boutique hotel Ellerman House, overlooking Bantry Bay in Cape Town, has joined 49 illustrious other hotels around the world in the latest “50 Greatest Hotels” named by the Telegraph.
The Telegraph said about Ellerman: “Perched high above the Atlantic, in a 1.5-acre terraced garden carved out of the Bantry Bay cliffs, Ellerman House enjoys perhaps the most spectacular location in Cape Town, a city not short on views.”
Children in the Wilderness (CITW), a non-profit organisation that arranges bush and wildlife experiences for young people to inspire Africa’s future environmental leaders, was a runner-up in the United Nations World Tourism Organisation’s (UNWTO) awards for sustainable tourism in Madrid recently. The UNWTO awards are flagship awards for the global tourism sector. The award for sustainable tourism honours people and organisations, who work for the benefit of host communities and protect their country’s environmental and cultural heritage for future generations.
Pepani said South Africa is open to doing business with Oman.
He added that the Oman-South Africa Friendship Association (OSAFA) is now a legal entity in Oman, having had its constitution approved by the government of Oman. OSAFA events and meetings provide South African and Omani companies a platform to explore opportunities for business tie-ups and investments in both countries.
“As an Embassy, we support the association and, with two business-networking functions under the belt already this year, and a promising work programme for the year, OSAFA seems raring to go,” he said.
“South Africa remains an attractive investment destination. The recent introduction of code share operations between SAA and JetBlue Airways on the Washington D.C. and Accra route, ensuring seamless travel for business and leisure, and the huge budget set aside for the building of new port facilities across the country, are testimony to enhanced efforts to attract investment into the country,” he said.
Pepani said the South African community is also encouraged by the raft of initiatives pursued by the government in its diversification drive, paving the way for a post-oil future.
“It is gratifying indeed, to say the least, to be witness to the large-scale infrastructure investments in infrastructure and the gallant efforts for developing small and medium enterprises,” he added.
