Kortbroek goes probing

News in this morning’s Cape Times that Marthinus Christoffel Johannes van Kortbroek, South African Minister for Tourism has demanded a probe into allegations that some accommodation providers are hiking prices excessively for the World Cup.

“We have noted allegations that accommodation establishments in the tourism industry are not responsible, and are inflating prices excessively,” van Schalkwyk said.

Well done, Marthinus. The rest of us only noticed that fact a few months back. It’s good to see that you and your department have got your collective fingers so firmly on the pulse of what is going to be the biggest tourist event this country has ever seen.
My faith in the Government is restored. Unfortunately.

He said the survey would help safeguard the reputation of the tourism industry since South Africa is known as a “value-for-money destination”.
“Price-hiking could damage the reputation of our tourism industry. However, it must be kept in mind that June and July will be high season in South Africa, and tourists should not expect the normal low-season prices,” he said.

Absolutely correct, Minister. However, nor should tourists expect to pay mark-ups of over 300% as we recently noted at the Ashanti Backpackers Lodge in Gardens.

Grant Thornton has been commissioned to conduct the survey, which is expected to be completed in three weeks.

…leaving the Government with very limited time to do absolutely nothing about it. Meh.

This article prompted me to give Ashanti a call, just to see if they have any rooms left for the World Cup. I didn’t even have to fake a British accent, since I still have half of one of those.
“Plenty,” was the reply.

Goodness me. I wonder why?

5 thoughts on “Kortbroek goes probing

  1. OMG! What an unfortunate name!! 😀

    “June and July will be high season in South Africa” – since when??? It’s not as if SA has a thriving winter sports history. I know there’s an SA okie competing in the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, but I’m betting he doesn’t train at Tiffindell!! 😛

    As an aside, when I Googled skiing in SA, one of the websites [www.skisouthafrica.co.za] has been suspended – they must be swamped with people accessing them for their June/July “high” season rates!!

  2. If there is corruption going on in the WC, my comrades, it has 100% to do with the Zille-monsta.
    Eish, that lady give me troubles…

  3. I wonder how much Grant Thornton are ripping off the taxpayer to do a survey into how much the tourism industry is ripping off the public. Someone at Grant Thornton is having a good laugh!

  4. Where I am still baffled is why are they only focusing on hotels & restaurants though… while the airline companies blatantly do the same. How are these hoteliers hoping the tourists reach them, if the tourists spent all their cash just on flying to Oli Tambo, let alone being able to afford flying onwards to other cities!
    .-= Champagne Heathen´s last blog ..The Cult of Marx – What Not To Do =-.

  5. HH > Well June & July will be high season here because of the World Cup. Which is fair enough. But some people are just taking the p!55 and doubling their (or worse) their high season rates.

    Julius > Dude, you have a problem with everyone right now.

    Stan > And what are the Government going to do with the data anyway? Look at it and nod sagely?

    Champagne Heathen > Well, the airline probe is ongoing for domestic flights. But I agree – the prices to get to SA in the first place are huge. Especially when you compare them with Germany 06 – I mentioned the HUGE variety of travel options there before. But the low numbers of international flights means that supply and demand kicks in again. The global recession is partly to blame for that. We might have expected more airlines expanding their range and flying to SA if it hadn’t been for the huge hits their profits have taken over the past couple of years. That would have at leat imporved the “supply” element.

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