DA submits PAIA request for beneficiaries of Green Tourism Incentive Fund
30 May 2021
The DA has submitted a request in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) seeking clarity on beneficiaries of the Green Tourism Incentive Programme (GTIP) administered by the Department of Tourism.
Earlier this year, the DA submitted questions to the department requesting the details of all GTIP recipients and the corresponding funds issued since its inception. The department was unwilling to divulge the details of successful applicants in the private sector, insisting on a PAIA application before furnishing any further details.
The objective of the GTIF according to the department "is to encourage private sector tourism enterprises to move towards the sustainable management of water and energy resources whilst adhering to responsible tourism practices."
In a water-scarce country such as South Africa, the sustainable management of water resources to secure the resilience and longevity of the tourism sector should not be a lacklustre tick-box exercise but a priority. South Africa has been hard-hit with multi-year droughts in the Northern and Eastern Cape whilst numerous other provinces face varying levels of water crises. This is compounded by poor water management and foresight by municipalities, as well as outdated and crumbling infrastructure. The litany of challenges to water security makes it vitally important to ensure that the tourism sector builds resilience through the adoption of sustainable water-use practices.