Tourism expert says Tottenham deal money could be better spent

JOHANNESBURG - The R900-million Tottenham sponsorship deal can be better used to benefit local tourism entrepreneurs according to tourism expert, Peet Van Der Merwe.

READ: Tourism Department responds to Tottenham Hotspur deal

He says there are a lot of young people who are struggling to break through the tourism sector and that money can be used to help grow their businesses.

The NWU School of Tourism's Peet van der Merwe said, "I think if one can help…"

"I mean we’ve just come out Covid now, and if we can assist upcoming SMME’s with their tourism products development."

"Help their market with their tourism products, strengthen our tourism production offering in South Africa. I think that money could’ve been spent much better here with helping South Africans."

"We can also look at other countries, China is just coming out of Covid, start a new marketing campaign in China Chinese people want travel now."

"I feel that we could’ve spent over different sections of the world in marketing."

"We’ve got a lot of young people coming into the tourism industry struggling to get their foot in tourism. Help them to market their tourism market. Establish their tourism products and them we can market these tourism products and outside in the international market.”