TECHNOLOGY
How the tech industry is assisting small tourism businesses In just under two years, South Africa’s travel and tourism industry was almost utterly decimated as travel ground to a complete halt, people were quarantined indoors, and businesses had to shut their doors as the Covid-19 pandemic swept through the country. By Tshepo Matlou, head of marketing and communications at Jurni.
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ockdown restrictions and other necessary health and safety measures implemented by the national government inevitably resulted in the industry losing billions in revenue and hundreds of thousands of jobs since the beginning of the pandemic, small businesses in the sector bearing the brunt of the impact. In South Africa, where small businesses make up around 80 per cent of the tourism industry which injects billions to the economy and generates more than 1.5 million indirect and 740,000 direct jobs, one of the country’s most
important sectors is on the brink. But it’s not all doom and gloom. The disruptive impact of Covid-19 has had an unexpected side effect. It has accelerated digital transformation, driving innovation forward, which will redefine the industry for many years to come. Suddenly, the tourism sector has been thrust face first into the digital future as emerging technologies are enabling small businesses to tackle the specific challenges they’re faced with, facilitating not only recovery but also growth. While local businesses had begun to tentatively dip their toes into
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digital tools through means such as establishing a presence on social media before the pandemic, the current crisis presents a unique opportunity for small businesses in the tourism sector to leverage powerful new technologies to become stronger and more profitable in the post-pandemic economy. One of the biggest challenges that small businesses in the sector face lies in connecting with and reaching customers. Before digital technologies penetrated so much of our daily lives, planning a trip, finding a place to stay and the activities available to you www.businesseventsafrica.com
