The Market Access Support Programme (MASP) aims to assist small inbound tourism enterprises to access and engage with tourism buyers in new and existing markets by reducing the cost burden of qualifying enterprises to attend and participate in predetermined international and domestic tourism trade platforms. The programme aims to not only facilitate growth in foreign tourist arrivals and increased foreign exchange earnings for South Africa, but also to stimulate enterprise growth and expansion that will ultimately lead to further job creation and transformation in the sector.
For participation at predetermined international trade platforms, support will be offered on a group basis or on an individual basis, while for participation at predetermined domestic trade platforms, support will only be offered on a group basis through the following sub-programmes.
· International Market Access Support Programme (IMASP) – Group Support:
This programme is to provide financial support to a group of small inbound tourism enterprises (Exempted Micro Enterprises (EMEs) and Qualifying Small Enterprises (QSEs)) to participate in predetermined international tourism trade platforms in which the Department or South African Tourism (SA Tourism) are directly involved through hosting a South African pavilion or roadshow. For IMASP- Group Support, the Department will pay upfront the costs of return economy airfare, accommodation and exhibition/participation costs directly to the relevant service providers, while other specified qualifying costs will be reimbursed through a claim process upon return from the event. Assistance to qualifying enterprises will be limited to a maximum of three occasions in a calendar year for a period of three years after which the enterprise will exit the programme.
- International Market Access Support Programme (IMASP) – Individual Support:
The purpose of the IMASP – Individual Support is to provide individual financial support to small inbound tourism enterprises (EMEs and QSEs) to showcase their tourism products and services in the international tourism trade platforms in which neither the Department nor SA Tourism are directly involved in terms of hosting a pavilion or roadshow. All applicable and qualifying costs for IMASP – Individual Support will be borne by the approved applicant and reimbursed upon return from the event. Dedicated window periods for applications for IMASP-Individual Support will be opened on a quarterly basis.
· Domestic Market Access Support Programme (DMASP) – Group Support:
This programme is to provide financial support to groups of EMEs in the tourism sector to attend and showcase their tourism products and services at domestic trade fairs, exhibitions, consumer fairs and festivals. Specific emphasis will be placed on, and preference given to majority black-, youth-, and woman-owned EMEs. Most of the qualifying costs for DMASP - Group Support will be paid upfront by the Department and directly to the relevant service provider on behalf of approved enterprises. Assistance to qualifying and approved enterprises will be limited to a maximum of three occasions in a calendar year for a period of three years. Then the enterprise will exit the DMASP-Group Support and is encouraged to apply for IMASP-Group support or IMASP-Individual support to participate in international market platforms.
A preliminary list of predetermined international and domestic exhibitions and or roadshows to be supported under the Market Access Support Programme is published annually on the Department’s website. While this list provides prospective applicants with an indication of which trade platforms the Department plans to support in a particular year, it should be noted that the list might be amended from time to time pending availability of exhibition space and available resources.