The Sunday Mail
Fly Emirates no longer accept hunting trophies
Business Editor
PLAYERS in the tourism industry are fretting over new noose-tightening regulations from both the South African government and airline Fly Emirates that essentially makes the free movement of people and hunting trophies difficult.
It is generally feared that while the regulations will principally affect the South African market, the local market might take a hit as well as it relies on its neighbour for transit tourists.
Industry officials estimate that close to 90 percent of tourists that find their way to Zimbabwe connect through South Africa.
A spokesperson of Emirates SkyCargo told The Sunday Mail Business last week that while the airline has standing regulations that prohibit the transportation of hunting trophies of animals that are listed under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), the ban, which was effected on Friday May 15, has since been broadened to include all animal trophies.
“Emirates SkyCargo has an existing embargo on the carriage of products and parts of endangered animals and plants listed under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), including hunting trophies.
“However, as part of our efforts to prevent the illegal trade of hunting trophies of elephant, rhinoceros, lion and tiger, Emirates SkyCargo has decided that effective 15th May 2015, we will not accept any kind of hunting trophies of these animals for carriage on Emirates services irrespective of CITES appendix,” said the airline in an e-mailed responce last week.
Appendix I lists species that are the most endangered among CITES-listed animals and plants.
CITES prohibits international trade in specimens of these species except when the purpose of the import is not commercial.
Safari operaters have naturally been spooked by the new regulations. The announcement comes as the industry is trying to process the implications of another set of regulations announced by the South African home affairs minister Mr Malusi Gigaba that makes it mandatory for children travelling to and within South Africa’s borders to have an unabridged birth certificate and written permission from either parents or guardians.
This forms part of the new visa rules that were supposed to become effective on October 1 last year.
They will however be put in force on June 1 2015.
Travel agencies from around the world are already communicating this new condition to their clients.
Chairman of the Safari Operators Association of Zimbabwe (SOAZ) Mr Emmanuel Fundira said last week the twin regulations were likely to affect the local market in as much as Zimbabwe relies on South Africa for co-marketing its products and also tourism traffic.
Ominously, revenues from trophy hunting have been on a decline, and last year the sector grossed an estimated US$85 million, a 15 percent decline from 2013.
“There are two aspects that have to be considered: the new regulations on minors from South Africa and the new requirements from Fly Emirates, and these will have a significant impact on the local tourism market in as far as South Africa remains a major hub of transiting tourists to and from Zimbabwe.
“It would have been different had we had more than 45 airlines coming to Zimbabwe, which we used to have, but we no longer have that.
“It is important to note that South Africa also co-markets our products.
“About 90 percent of most tourism traffic comes from South Africa. So, any changes will naturally have a direct negative effective,” said Mr Fundira.
Local tourism players insist that they will continue to put pressure on Goverment to engage with SA on a bilateral level.
Tourism is part of the lifeblood of the local economy, contributing about US$700 million per annum.
The country receives about two million tourists annually.
An estimated 3,2 million visitors are forecasted to visit Zimbabwe by the end of the year.
Likewise, revenues from the industry are projected to rise soar to US$3 billion in the next three years before spiking to US$5 billion by 2020.
Zimbabwe Tourism Authority chief executive officer Mr Karikoga Kaseke said on Friday he did not have the exact details of what was happening.
“I am not aware of that, unfortunately. We will have to look into the matter then I can give my response. We would want to know why they are doing it.
“They may have good reasons for that, and when we understand it, that is when we can professionally comment on it. But if this is true, generally it is devastating to our tourism,” explained Mr Kaseke.
On the overall, visitors to Zimbabwe rose 2,4 percent to 1 880 028 last year from a year earlier driven by arrivals from Africa, Europe and America.
There were 1 600 496 tourists from African countries, 137 465 from Europe and 66 826 from America.
The country also recorded 42 798 and 26 031 tourist arrivals from Asia and Oceania in that order.
However, tourism receipts fell 3 percent to US$827 million from US$856 million in the same period.
The United Nations World Tourism Organisations (UNWTO) expects international tourism to grow by 3 percent to 4 percent.
