Enhancing Tourist Guide Registration Process in KZN Province
The presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Tourism in KwaZulu-Natal Province on 22nd February 2022 highlighted the importance of the Tourist Guide Registration Process as a regulated profession. The process involves strict verification steps to ensure compliance with the Tourism Act of 2014, including documentation checks, competency validation, and code of conduct adherence. The database of registered tourist guides in KZN showed a breakdown by race and gender, with ongoing efforts to improve reliability. The data also outlined the number of new guides registered since April 2021, categorized by ethnicity and gender quarterly. These initiatives aim to strengthen the tourism sector and promote responsible guiding practices.
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PRESENTATION TO THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON TOURISM 22 FEBRUARY 2022 KwaZulu-Natal Province GROWING KWAZULU NATAL TOGETHER 1
Introduction 1.Tourist Guide Registration Process Tourist Guiding is a regulated profession in terms of the Legislation. A qualified Tourist Guide who has been deemed competent must apply for registration in a prescribed manner and attach all relevant documents in order to operate legally in the province in which they reside as per procedure stipulates in section 50 of the Tourism Act. No 3 of 2014. The registration process is the same for all guides, however, a valid residential/work permit is required for foreign nationals. 2.Verification Process I. Application forms are checked by delegated authority as per the Departmental Standard Operation Procedures on Tourist Guide Registration. II. The application form is verified if all sections are filled in properly. III. Verification is also conducted if all the required documentation are certified and attached including copies of ID and all certificates as part of the process. IV. Verification is also conducted with CATHSSETA to check the authenticity of the learner competency and Certificate. V. The signed code of conduct and validity of the first Aid to ensure its not expired. VI. File is opened per Tourist Guide registered 2 For reference to the complete SoP : ANNEXURE A1 STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR TOURIST GUIDES REGISTRATION.docx 2
KZN Tourist Guide Database TOTAL REGISTERED TOURIST GUIDES ON THE DATABASE As of January 2022 PROVINCE AFRICAN COLOURED ASIAN WHITE INDIAN TOTAL Female Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female Male 91 0 2 1 0 204 73 7 3 437 169 224 KwaZulu-Natal 315 2 1 277 10 605 Grand Total The province can confirm the database s reliability of 95%. The department has an action plan to verify the database to ensure 100% reliability. 3 3
NEW GUIDES REGISTERED SINCE 1 APRIL 2021 (MONTHLY, QUARTERLY) - BREAKDOWN PER RACE AND GENDER AFRICAN COLOURED ASIAN WHITE OTHER ( Indian) TOTAL 1st Quarter 2021/2022 M 05 F 03 M F M F M 02 F M 02 F M 09 F 03 Total per race & gender for SA citizens Total per race & gender for non SA citizens TOTAL PER GENDER 08 2 2 12 AFRICAN COLOURED ASIAN WHITE OTHER ( Indian) TOTAL 2nd Quarter 2021/2022 M 02 F 01 M F M F M 05 F 01 M F M 07 F 02 Total per race & gender for SA citizens Total per race & gender for non SA citizens TOTAL PER GENDER 03 06 09 AFRICAN COLOURED ASIAN WHITE OTHER (Indian) TOTAL 3rd Quarter 2021/ 2022 M F M F M F M F M F M F Total per race & gender for SA citizens 01 02 06 05 07 07 Total per race & gender for non SA citizens TOTAL PER GENDER 03 11 14 4 AFRICAN COLOURED ASIAN WHITE OTHER ( Indian) TOTAL 4th Quarter 2021/2022 (January 2022 only) M 06 F 04 M F M F M 02 F M F M 08 F 04 Total per race & gender for SA citizens Total per race & gender for non SA citizens TOTAL PER GENDER 10 02 12 4
Challenges (relief fund) CHALLENGES (relief fund) Challenges Details Communication and Verification system Tourist guides could not be reached (Network or Cell number unreachable) Obtaining information of deceased of Tourist Guides Heavily reliant on physical filing system for storage and backup Blocked unknown numbers (True caller) Challenges around the use of excel spreadsheet Verification and Integrity Non-availability of a proper verification systems. Deletion of payment voucher (numbers thinking it was a scam) Changing of cellphone numbers after captured on the system 5 5
KZN Tourist Guide Support Programmes Tourist Guide Training Up skilling of existing guides Capacitation of the new entrants Partnership with Department of Tourism on foreign language e.g. Mandarin, COVID 19 protocols and Guest lectures on key topics/subjects Educational Tours Aims at enhancing their knowledge, skills, and expertise in order to ensure their continuous development in the tourist guiding profession. The key objective of educational tours is to promote local Tourist Guides and continue to improve the professionalization of the sector through knowledge enhancement. Tourist Guides Awareness Inspections Awareness of illegal guiding and the dangers of using illegal Tourist Guides while educating South Africans about the importance of the Tourist Guiding Profession . The importance of using the services of registered Tourist Guides by visitors in order to ensure their safety. As well as to raise awareness on the registration procedures and compliance. Tourist Guide Workshop Workshop for tourist Guides in different platforms such as Forum, Community Tourism Organization etc. Dissemination of information and programme related to tourism for their promotion and development etc Formalisation of Tourist Guide Forums Ensures the representation of Tourist guides interests within the sector Ensuring proper deliberation on issues pertaining to KZN Tourist Guides while also serving as important platforms to cascade relevant information among Tourist Guides in the Province. 6 6
RESPONSE BY KZN ON AUDIT ISSUES AGSA FINDING KZN EDTEA SPECIFICS FINDINGS KZN EDTEA REPONSES AND REMEDIAL ACTIONS Person in the employ of the state/municipality who benefitted from the tourist guide relief fund. A total of 7 Tourist Guides are from KZN and employed in different Districts according to registration. The Department of Tourism has already written to all the Municipality/Department concern requesting them to verify their employment and to also initiate a recovery process in case the disclosure was not done by these employees in terms of the Public Service Act. Deceased persons who benefited from tourist guide relief fund. Duplicate records No deceased person found on KZN database No duplicates found on KZN database Person with invalid and/or no identity numbers 16 were submitted with invalid ID numbers. The department has an action plan to clean-up and verify the database to ensure 100% reliability. 15 were Non-South African with correct ID submitted e.g passport and foreign ID however because their digit are not the same as the SA ID the audit findings classified them as invalid/incorrect. 4 ID were originally provided correctly ( These have been subsequently provide and re- verified ) KZNEDTEA is also making determination of acquiring more efficient system which can detect errors at the point of registration. GROWING KWAZULU NATAL TOGATHER 7
