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It was less than 10 years ago that Cape Town suffered a severe water crisis and was only days away from’ Day Zero ’ when they would be unable to supply water through the usual means to the public. With Cape Town being such a significant tourist attraction, the tourism industry faced massive issues in dealing with the crisis. This was because our industry was caught napping and taken completely by surprise, without a real ‘plan B’ in place. Now with El Niño looming, I can’t help but feel that if we don’t take it seriously and start making preparations to deal with its possible, sometimes devastating, effects we could get caught with our pants down again!
As you will know, if you have been following my articles, I am no prophet of doom, probably just the opposite, but I do believe in preparedness and erring on the side of caution, particularly when we have faced the issue once before. I am pleased to see that Cape Town, according to a National Geographic report, has ‘’ launched a multi-billion-rand ‘New Water’ Programme to diversify supplies away from total surface-dam dependency, implement aggressive pressure management, clear water-thirsty alien vegetation, and upgrade wastewater and aquifer extraction infrastructure.’’ This is heartening, but I am not totally convinced that it will be enough to sufficiently deal with a problem of the magnitude that El Niño could generate, particularly since Cape Town has experienced massive population growth in the last 10 years and the infrastructure is already buckling under the pressure.
A crisis that could be widespread
Cape Town is not the only tourism hub that could be potentially threatened either. A prolonged dry seasons could affect linked destinations such as the Okavango Delta and Victoria Falls, where reduced water levels could diminish the visitor experience and make large tourist volumes harder to accommodate. Here in South Africa, our greatest tourist attraction, our game parks, is threatened too. In a ‘Daily Tourism Update’ article I read, Tercia Strydom, Senior Manager of Systems Ecology at SANParks, said ‘’El Niño has already formed. Certain models are predicting below-average rainfall or drought conditions in and around Kruger Park, starting towards the end of this year, into next year. Groundwater reserves, including close cooperation with upstream dam operators, should help maintain flows in the park’s major perennial rivers, but ecological impacts are still likely to be mixed, and there will be winners and losers.”
How should Travel and Tourism be preparing?
So, the government is making some inroads in trying to ensure a better outcome if we face severe drought, but it is going to be incumbent on every industry to play its part in this. As a representative of one of the largest travel groups, I believe that South Africa’s tourism industry must be prepared for a potential crisis, rather than wait to respond after the disruption has begun. For example, forward bookings are already being made for 2028 and 2029, so agents need to identify alternative packages, destinations, and experiences to Cape Town before severe weather starts affecting existing itineraries. Potential options can be the Drakensberg and other tourist hubs in South Africa like Sun City and KwaZulu-Natal and, of course, our game reserves, which may face some challenges, but are still a viable option despite less lush conditions.
I would also urge our industry role players to engage hotel chains, lodges and other suppliers to establish what contingency arrangements they have for drought and inclement weather. Practical measures like implementing water-efficient taps and showers, improved laundry policies and water -wise sewage systems require advance planning. We must remember there is only a limited window to encourage changes before possible disruption occurs, so supplier preparedness should become a regular discussion point.
We’re in this together
I love that this nation celebrates our Heritage Day with such gusto, proud of our strength in our diversity, and the strong ‘Rainbow nation’ that has emanated from it. What I am most proud of, however, is our resilience in the face of diversity. We may be facing a national crisis, but if we face it with forethought, planning, and a collective water-wise mindset, El Niño will be just another challenge for which we are fully prepared!
Lidia de Olim
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER