Hon Speaker, prior to the drafting of the Tourism Bill 2012, the sector was governed by the Tourism Act of 1993. This Act was amended three times - 1996, 2000 and 2002 respectively. However, the Act fell short of being an overarching national legislative framework for management of tourism and became inflexible in responding to the ever- changing landscape of our sector.
In recognising that transformation is vital to ensure the sustainable growth and development of the sector; the Department of Tourism embarked on the drafting of the Tourism Bill. Upon promulgation, the Bill will repeal the Tourism Act of 1993 as amended. The Bill's overarching aim is to provide for the development and promotion of sustainable tourism for the social, economic and environmental benefit of our country's citizens.
With that in mind, the Bill defines the following five key objectives: Promoting the practice of responsible tourism; providing for the effective marketing of our country, both domestically and internationally; promoting quality tourism products and services; promoting the growth and development of the sector; and effective intergovernmental relations in developing and managing tourism.
The glaring gaps that the Draft Tourism Bill seeks to address include the following: When the Bill is passed as an Act, the National Tourism Sector Strategy, the NTSS, which was approved by Cabinet in 2011, will form part of the legislative framework for the management and development of tourism. The NTSS is premised on tourism growth, enhanced visit experiences, sustainability, transformation and good governance.
The Bill makes provision for the establishment of a Conventions Bureau by SA Tourism to co-ordinate bits for business events. Necessary steps have already been taken to fund and implement the provisions that define the Bill for the creation of such a Conventions Bureau. The Bill establishes the SA Tourism Grading Council as a statutory entity that is responsible for quality assurance of tourism products, services and facilities. The White Paper and NTSS recognise lack of knowledge and understanding within the tourism sector.
Therefore, in the Bill, we are providing for knowledge and information management, monitoring and evaluation. This is aimed at fostering better understanding of the sector and improving decision-making. Furthermore, the Bill defines this as voluntary and allows for incentives for businesses that participate. One of the major challenges that we have experienced is the differentiation of standards of service facilities and products rendered by the sector throughout our country.
The Bill also provides for the Minister of Tourism to issue norms and standards to standardise the management and development of tourism, including the provision of tourism services, facilities and products throughout the country. The Bill further provides for the determination of codes of good practise as guidelines for the management of tourism. This legislation was the subject of a wide and transparent consultative process with all relevant role-players. In conclusion, the state of our travel and tourism sector in South Africa is with no doubt remarkable. Our country as a whole embodies a very distinct fabric of interwoven cultures. The world's eyes have been opened up like never before to the beauty, diversity of experiences, and into these possibilities that South Africa has to offer. It is beyond all doubt that the Tourism Bill represents the essence of what will enhance the performance of this sector for decades to come. This legislation heralds a new era for tourism as a major force in the economic transformation of this country.
I would like to thank the Chairperson, hon Don Gumede, for his leadership throughout the process of public hearings and deliberations. Furthermore, I would want to thank all the committee members for their dedication during this arduous process.
Finally, South Africa is currently one of the most successful tourism destinations in the world, outcompeting all our direct competitors. On 25 April, this coming Thursday, the hon President will officially release the extremely positive 2012 tourist arrivals statistics. I hereby request that this House pass the Draft Tourism Bill 2012. Thank you. [Applause.]