Tourism Levy South Africa and South African Tourism have renewed the Memorandum of Understanding which governs the administration and management of the tourism levy.
TOMSA is a public-private partnership established in 1998 between the Tourism Business Council of South Africa and the National Department of Tourism, and it enables businesses in the sector to play an active role in the funding of South Africa’s destination marketing initiatives. This is done through the voluntary collection and contribution of a tourism levy on tourism products and services rendered. Businesses in the accommodation sector, car rental companies, tour operators, travel agents and tourism attractions currently collect and contribute levies to TOMSA.
The funds collected are administered by the TBCSA and form part of a larger SAT destination marketing budget.
What differentiates the latest MOU from previous ones is the addition of a new clause allowing for the establishment of a TOMSA Collaborative Fund, where a portion of the levy contributions will be put aside and dedicated to funding tactical trade marketing initiatives that are specifically aimed at generating further growth in tourist activity.