Ebola significantly impacts on global tourism industry

01 Feb 2016 | Admin Author

The Ebola outbreak in West Africa is having a significant impact on the tourism industry around the world.

This, with mass cancellations and postponements of tours groups to South Africa and the rest of Africa gaining momentum.

Adrian Gardiner, the Chairperson and founder of the PE-based Mantis Group, which is heavily invested globally in the hospitality and tourism sector, says he's worried.

Gardiner, told Algoa FM News on Thursday that other players in the industry are also worried about the impact that the Ebola outbreak is having on global tourism.

"As you know it's got incredible exposure worldwide, because we have got to try and find an antidote. There's no doubt that we are being affected. There are cancellations and there are postponement of trips. It's something that has to be taken very seriously. We've got to try and address it and try and promote the local market but I'm worried. There's a lot of people in our industry seriously worried," he said.

However, despite the Ebola threat, the Mantis Group is spearheading a joint venture with an Australian company to establish three to four star boutique hotels in several African destinations.

Gardiner the partnership with the Stay Well Hospitality Group is evidence of their confidence in the future of Africa, which he described as the world's "undiscovered continent."

Gardiner says Africa is mineral and agricultural rich and with a growing population there are a lot of eyes on this continent.

However, he did sound a word of caution about the growing Chinese influence in Africa.

"We all know there is a massive Chinese influence, I think it needs to be controlled. I think we have an obligation to look after our inhabitant South Africa first. We should be concentrating on developing education, medical and agriculture within the confines of our own people." says Gardiner.

Meanwhile, The Eastern Cape-based Wilderness Foundation is leading a campaign to reduce the demand for rhino horn in global markets like Vietnam.

The Foundation, which is supported by the Mantis Group, has developed a four-pronged approach to addressing the scourge of rhino poaching in South Africa.

Gardiner, says the first pillar is demand reduction, where the Wilderness Foundation is working on the ground in Vietnam on education programmes particularly the youth.

He said the second pillar of their rhino strategy is to support anti-poaching initiatives.

"The third one is to DNA a lot of the species so we can find out if that horn does get taken we know exactly where it came from. The fourth one is to support Onderstepoort with a lot of their research that they are doing in both in the Kruger and other reserves, to see if we can save both the rhino and the infant."