green channel

About 66,000 overseas visitors travelled to South Africa in the first eight months of 1997 - up 22 per cent on the same period the previous year. But as last week's Green Channel explained, only around a quarter of the amount of money from tourism actually stays in developing countries, because of foreign ownership of travel agents, tour operators and hotels - and South Africa is no exception.

When a survey by Capibus for Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA) revealed this fact to British interviewees, more than 60 per cent of those interviewed thought the figure was too little. Many were prepared to pay more for their holiday if they could be guaranteed that a greater amount of the money would benefit the country.

Nearly a quarter of respondents said they would be willing to pay an extra 10 per cent, and about three-quarters also felt they would like holiday companies to provide more information on how their trips affect local people.