Julius Baumann
13 November 2009
Johannesburg — TOURISM Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk is expected to name a new CEO of marketing agency SA Tourism before the end of the month, with Thandiwe January- McLean, SA's ambassador to Portugal, the leading contender for the post.
Natasha Rockman, spokesman for the tourism ministry, said yesterday that the board of SA Tourism, headed by Tsogo Sun's Jabu Mabuza, had made its decision and the candidate's name would now go to the Cabinet for approval.
The post has been vacant since the departure of former CEO Moeketsi Mosola in March.
This is a less than ideal situation considering the government's aim of growing tourism's share of the economy to close to 12% from about 8% now, using next year's Soccer World Cup as a springboard.
SA Tourism will play a critical role in marketing SA as a tourism destination to the billions of fans watching the tournament on television or in SA.
Van Schalkwyk has said in the past that it is important for SA to take its tourism industry to the next level, and his department is in the process of finalising a five-year tourism sector plan in consultation with the tourism industry.
Whoever takes over the helm of SA Tourism will play an important role in implementing that strategy from a marketing point of view.
Since Mosola's departure the agency has been ably headed by chief operating officer Didi Moyle, one of the short- listed candidates for the position. However, January-McLean appears to be the preferred candidate for the post , although the minister's office was unwilling to confirm her imminent appointment.
January-McLean has served as ambassador to Portugal since 1994. Before that she was the director- general in the Department of Arts and Culture. She would not be the first ambassador to be appointed to the post, following in the footsteps of Cheryl Carolus, a former high commissioner to London.
As ambassador, January-McLean has been involved in several tourism projects promoting SA. Last year she arranged for 2010 local organising committee CEO Danie Jordaan to visit Portugal to speak about SA's preparations for 2010.
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