Foreign Tourists Abandon Kruger Due to Protest Dangers on Access Roads

[ExFmem]

In all seriousness, SO and I have begun to rethink our visits to SA. With the attack on Sis , all the SERIOUS attacks on hikers, the confiscation without remuneration of white-owned farms, the rampant corruption (NOT THAT THE USA DOESN'T HAVE CRIME/CORRUPTION!!!), the changing philosophy and ineptitude concerning conservation, and the general unrest, we are just dismayed at how the bright promise of a new South Africa after apartheid is slowly dimming. So very sad.

It will be hard to say goodbye to a beautiful part of our life, so I hope the situation there will turn around in the coming months...I certainly wish you all a brighter future than it looks at the moment.

[okie]

Hmmmm..... lets not be completely negative about this country It is not as if there is total anarchy raging , with blood flowing in rivers down the streets .

Speaking of the USA , ExFmem , you know , if one was to believe everything you see on TV and news reports , then one would think that it is quite unsafe there But those normally just highlight bad hotspots , and not necessarily living for normal people . The content of TV shows/stories have to hold the attention of its audience , otherwise nobody will watch it . Detective stories , crime , murder , killing , stealing robbery , you name it -- those shows are the ones that dominate , all showing the bad side of society .
And of course , then the viewer starts thinking that this must surely be the norm of life !
Absolutely scary

Now , you know , over a number of years , my SO and I travelled extensively in the USA -We visited and stayed in many major cities and travelled by car through most states - 34 of them - and probably more than most Americans themselves , but never ever did we really encounter anything that could be compared to what is shown on news media

Maybe we were fortunate ? Or , maybe its because things are not really as bad as portrayed ?
And should we then be barred from visiting there again ?

I say , NO -- Emphatically , NO

[Richprins]

I think the big difference is law enforcement, okie!

[Lisbeth]

And attacks on people just walking/driving only to steel from them, does not seem to be a common case in the US

[okie]

It is not necessarily a matter of law enforcement . There are no-go areas all over the world where crime is rife etc
In South Africa , it is communities that take action , and become unruly .
Many of those communities are centred around big tourist attractions such as KNP . And they take action specifically targeting those tourist areas in order to draw international attention .
During the apartheid era , police action ( law enforcement ) received a lot of negative publicity , specifically showing police brutality etc .
During riots , police sometime do have to use force for crowd control , not only here , but in other parts of the world . It has happened , and still happens in the USA , Europe , Middle east , Far East ....... But , in other parts of the world , such actions by police do not necessarily get the same negative publicity .
Its a case of " give a dog a bad name " .........

[Lisbeth]

IMO the police is absent in many cases and many places.

[Flutterby]

The Brat has lived his whole life in Johannesburg, "the crime capital of SA", and never experienced anything. He stayed in Stellenbosch for 2 months, supposedly a sleepy student town, where our car was broken into, his townhouse was broken into, a friend was mugged and another friend woke up to find someone sticking a fishing pole through the window trying to steal stuff!

[okie]

IMO the police is absent in many cases and many places.

If police are present , then they are accused of brutality .
If they are not present , then people accuse them of not being in control

In London , Paris , New York , Los Angeles , there have been riots specifically brought on due to police actions
Why , not so very long ago , people in the USA protested because Trump was chosen as President , but if many , many of those people had actually gone to cast their votes , then it is quite probable that Trump would NOT have been elected And a lot of those protest marches turned into riots

You know , in France , and in Greece , and in Spain , it has happened more than once that farmers invade towns and cities , blocking traffic , strewing their produce on the streets , just because they feel they are not being treated fairly
Now , that is also a form of rioting and civil destabilisation .

And tourists still visit them

[Richprins]

Reuters | about 22 hours ago

CAPE TOWN – South Africa will speed up visa processes and lure major conferences in an effort to boost foreign arrivals by 40% by 2021, its tourism minister said on Friday.

The new measures are part of a goal to attract five million additional travellers – four million international tourists and one million extra local holiday trips and will help limit the “blip” a major drought is having on South Africa’s top tourist draw card, Cape Town, said minister Derek Hanekom.

“I am bullish because there is huge growth potential,” Hanekom told Reuters in an interview.

“On the international front conditions are very much in our favour so it’s going to be easier to achieve the four million part than the one million,” he said.

Tourism, which contributes more than R400 billion ($34 billion) to Africa’s most industrialized economy, or around 8% of GDP, is seen by government as key to help drive growth and reduce a stubbornly high unemployment rate.

The country emerged from a recession last year but is struggling to grow its economy and less disposal income means locals are hesitant to travel.

However, the long-haul destination still provides good value for money for foreign tourists attracted to its white beaches, iconic Table Mountain and wildlife safaris.

Earlier this month, the World Travel and Tourism Council said travel and tourism would contribute around R424.5 billion to the overall economy in 2018, before rising by 3.5% a year to R598.6 billion or 10.1% of GDP in 2028.

Besides establishing a fund which is geared to help South Africa win more global conferences and exhibitions, Hanekom said home affairs officials were also developing online visa applications, as well as possibly producing them for tourists on arrival at airports.

“Of course the first prize for us and the easiest is when visitors from particulars countries don’t need visas at all,” he said.

Hanekom said discussions with home affairs and foreign relations departments would consider granting more countries visa waivers for short trips, following success with visitor numbers from Russia which increased 57% last year.

Tourism officials said current visa processes were putting off tourists from China, India and Nigeria, some of the world’s largest outbound travel markets.

http://ewn.co.za/2018/03/30/hanekom-sa- ... -potential

[okie]

And what about this :

Violence as thousands march in Rome against austerity (PHOTOS)


Published time: 12 Apr, 2014 18:28

Edited time: 12 Apr, 2014 18:31

At least 80 people – both police and protesters – have been injured as street battles broke out in Rome, with rocks being flung and police deploying pepper spray. Thousands took to the street to march against austerity measures.


Blasts and sirens could be heard as a splinter group of masked protesters launched firecrackers, eggs and rocks at police, who defended themselves with shields. One protester had his hand blown off by a firecracker he was yet to throw. At least six people were arrested, police said.


The march started at roughly 14:00 from Porta Pia, with the crowd stating they were protesting in favor of affordable housing and plans for new labor regulations which would make firing and hiring easier.

Prime Minister Matteo Renzi is in the process of making mass economic reforms. Youth unemployment has risen to well over 40 percent.