SA A Cuts Big Blow To Hunting Industry
On the front page of the local newspaper in Port Elizabeth, this morning was SAA Cuts Big Blow To Hunting Industry.
Reduced Flights coming into Port Elizabeth lead to other options for Example using British Airways and some other airlines don't allow certain weapons on the aircraft.
The Eastern Cape hunting industry could lose millions of rands, with the possibility of job losses, should South African Airways cancel or reduce flights to the province.
With cuts to the airline’s Eastern Cape routes almost certainly on the cards, hunting organisations and operators are concerned about the impact on the international hunting tourism market as SAA is the only commercial airline which allows the transport of all types’ of firearms in safe storage.
They have warned that if SAA does chop it’s flights to the Eastern Cape, they will have to make alternative plans. The national hunting industry brings in about R10-billion a year, of which about R1.5 billion comes from international hunters.
East Cape Game Management Association chief executive Stappie Staphorst said any such move by SAA would have a major negative effect on international hunting tourism
There is fear that this will hinder the hunting industry.
In South Africa, the hunting industry is worth over 10 Billion Rand and as hunters, we reserve the right to hunt where ever we choose, as long as its sustainable and ethically done.
Doug from Splitting Image Taxidermy had this to say about the matter - Let us look at this in a positive way and become solution orientated. Outfitters can market to their clients that they can rent rifles from them instead of worrying about this cost and hunters can plan their flights accordingly to suit their hunting schedules.
Don't allow the media to put a negative spin on this. It's important that all the hunters remain positive and become solution orientated and always stand up for being ethical hunters.
