MSC Cruises will be hiring 2,000 South Africans as crew this year, says Ross Volk, managing director of MSC Cruises South Africa.
“We want to get to 2,000 South Africans on board ships this year; 1,000 next year; and by 2027 to 2028 around 5,000 South Africans on board our vessels,” Volk said.
The global cruise industry made a strong recovery last year, with passenger numbers rebounding from the effects of Covid-19.
Ross Volk, managing director of MSC Cruises South Africa, says that the cruising sector, which is experiencing significant growth as tourism, has the potential to reduce South Africa’s poverty numbers by creating a substantial number of jobs.
MSC South Africa has specific metrics, such as hiring 70% of people from previously-disadvantaged communities. This enables these employees to earn dollars and then spend that money in South Africa.
According to Volk, the advancement of cruise tourism requires a collaborative effort between the government and private sector.
He stresses the need for comprehensive infrastructure development, both in port facilities and inland, to ensure that visitors can efficiently access the country's various attractions.
“South Africa has such a rich diversity but it is also very vast. Because the country is so large, approximately the same size as Western Europe, we need to look at how we manage the situation of creating infrastructure that can get visitors to South Africa’s tourist areas as fast as possible to be able to accommodate the volumes that cruise tourism can bring,” Volk says.
In light of anti-cruise protests in Europe, Volk sees an opportunity for South Africa. However, he cautions that the country must first address fundamental issues to attract more visitors successfully.
IOL Travel