Security app has potential to keep SA’s visitors safe and boost tourism

I wish to respond to the opinion piece on Wednesday by firstly stating upfront that the Secura app is not “De Lille’s app”.

It is a private sector-led initiative as part of a partnership between government and the private sector to implement several initiatives to enhance tourism safety in the country.

On 29 May, I made an announcement about this partnership, outlining the areas of work by various role players – government and the private sector – as the National Tourism Safety Forum – working on multiple initiatives to improve tourism safety.

Crime is an issue around the world and South Africa is no exception and countries around the world have safety plans and safety tips.

This has been shared with me by several tourism ministers I have engaged with from all over the world in recent weeks.

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Tourists’ concern

There are many tourists who are concerned about safety in South Africa and we need to convert them to come to South Africa by illustrating that we have a plan and we will show what we have implemented. Safety plans from other countries around the world use technology as part of their strategy and we are no different.

Rather than doing nothing, we are looking at every single intervention we can make to enhance tourism safety.

We are clear that strict safety and security measures is the mandate of the SA Police Service (Saps) and are included in the National Tourism Safety Strategy.

App

The Secura App, set to be adapted for tourism and launched by the private sector around 1 July, is one measure of the National Tourism Safety Strategy, while another initiative is the deployment of tourism monitors to hotspots by the department of tourism.

At no point did we say that only the app will keep tourists safe. It is one intervention as part of our arsenal to improve visitor safety.

The app is already being used and has been used by some one million users for various response support services.

The adapted Secura Traveller app with a panic button will connect travellers and tourism stakeholders to over 200 private security companies and over 60 emergency medical service providers when every second counts.

The app will also enable tourists to get access to interpretation services and their respective home country embassies or consulates.

The app is already in use and being marketed via Southern Africa Tourism Services Association at R49 per download/coupon valid for 30 days, primarily to the inbound operators so that they may embed it into their ticket sales.

I would encourage people to look at the app and the reviews to see the level of efficiency experienced by users. Once the department trains the next batch of tourism monitors, more than 2 000 will be deployed to 59 hotspots around the country.

The tourism monitors will also be equipped with the Secura app to ensure immediate access to private security and medical response services and so they have the ability to communicate with the Incident Management Centre.

They will also be given identifiable uniforms, protective gear, such as sun hats, flashlights, tourist maps, etc. to ensure they can carry out their duties safely and professionally.

We will invite the media to join us when deploying the tourism monitors. The Tourism Business Council of South Africa are in the process of finalising funding and other processes to roll out the Secura Traveller app in July.

We have acknowledged that crime affects tourism and we are working in partnership with the private sector to address this, instead of denying the problem and saying it is not our mandate. The department of tourism, together with tourism MECs, Saps, the provincial safety forums, the private sector and tourism associations will work to create an enabling environment to grow tourism and support Saps with services in addition to their police work.

The media is an important partner to keep locals and tourists informed so we look forward to continuing to engage and showing the media and the public that we are addressing tourism safety.

• The right of reply by Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille to the opinion piece published on Wednesday titled: “Pat’s app won’t keep tourists safe.”

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