(a) How has her department dealt with the challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in order to promote sustainable tourism practices in the Republic,
I have been informed that the Department has a Tourism Environmental Implementation Plan 2020-2025, which was published for implementation on Gazette Number 45425, 05 November 2021 the department has developed and implemented the Tourism Resource Efficiency Training Programme.
The programme was initiated in the 2021/22 financial year whereby a concept was developed and approved to train 25 youth on Resource Efficiency and Cleaner Production Methodologies.
Simultaneously as part of the Tourism Environmental Implementation Plan 2023/2024 objectives, the department aims to implement and coordinate awareness campaigns that are aimed at raising environmental consciousness in the operations of tourism facilities.
The awareness campaigns also aim to provide a platform that will enable the showcasing of green initiatives that will be adapted within the tourism sector spectrum to reduce the dependence on greenhouse emitting products and practices.
In addition, the department has a continuous Tourism Adaptation Project (TAP) that seeks to build resilience and adaptive capacity within the tourism sector to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
To date, thirty-six (36) climate change risk and vulnerability assessments (RVA) have been completed in various tourism sites across the country, including major tourist attractions such as Table Mountain National Park, Robben Island, Kruger National Park, iSimangaliso Wetland Park and uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park.
Furthermore, the Department’s Green Tourism Incentive Programme (GTIP) aims to encourage private sector tourism enterprises to move towards more sustainable tourism practices through the offering financial support for the installation of solutions for the sustainable management and usage of electricity and water resources.
(b) What are the strategic measures employed to achieve the specified goal
Green Tourism Incentive Programme
Under the GTIP, eligible applicants are able to qualify for the full cost of a new energy and water efficiency audit or the review of an existing audit. Furthermore, eligible applicants are also able to apply and qualify for grant funding of between 50% and 90%, capped at a maximum of R1 million per applicant, on the cost of approved solutions that will improve the energy and water efficiency and reduce the costs of their tourism operations. The GTIP will not only help reduce pressure on electricity and water resources, but also contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, ensuring an uninterrupted visitor experience for tourists, reduce operational input cost for the qualifying enterprise.
(c) Green Tourism Incentive Programme in each province
(d) What are the specific projects and their outcomes.
While it is not possible to provide information on specific GTIP projects under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), it is worth noting that solutions approved for each qualifying applicant varies depending on the specific needs identified during the energy and water efficiency audit. Typical solutions supported under the GTIP may include renewable energy generating systems (e.g. solar, wind, etc.), energy efficient equipment and lighting (e.g. solar water heaters, gas stoves, LED lighting, etc.), and water efficient appliances and systems (e.g. low-flow/ aerated taps, rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling systems).
In terms of outcomes of GTIP projects, it is worth noting that projected energy consumption savings for approved GTIP applicants range between 65% and 80%, while projected water saving for those that are installing water efficiency systems range between 30% and 50% on water consumption.
Province |
Number of GTIP applications approved (excluding projects cancelled after approval) |
Value of GTIP applications approved (excluding projects cancelled after approval) |
EC |
26 |
R19 080 788 |
FS |
2 |
R1 726 567 |
GP |
20 |
R12 913 859 |
KZN |
11 |
R5 981 145 |
LP |
15 |
R11 580 095 |
MP |
5 |
R2 925 879 |
NC |
6 |
R4 753 255 |
NW |
11 |
R5 870 313 |
WC |
32 |
R18 133 822 |
Total |
128 |
R82 965 723 |