Chairperson, I would like to respond to four issues. The first one is the issue of the new tourism legislation raised by the hon member Adams. We will table that in Parliament in the third quarter of this year, and then we, obviously, will engage the members of the select committee as well as the portfolio committee.
The second issue is the one raised by the chairperson of the select committee. It is the issue of our inbound markets, our source market for inbound tourism, and, yes, we have experienced good growth for some of the markets in the last year. We can look at some of the increases: from Asia, we had 3,7%; from the African air markets 3,3%, and from the African land markets 5,7%. However, from China and India, two very important future markets, we had a 12,4% increase from China. It's from a relatively low base, but it is impressive growth in any language. Then, from India, there was a 17,5% increase.
With regard to our traditional markets, I would like to echo the point that Minister Davies made with regard to the traditional markets in terms of trade. They continue to be important markets, but we must take note of the fact that growth from those markets is slowing down. We must refocus and reprioritise, look at new markets, as well, invest in those new markets, and develop those new markets.
Then, with regard to the issue of business tourism that the chairperson also raised, I announced yesterday in the National Assembly that we will start a National Convention Bureau under the auspices of South African Tourism. We will invest in that. Now, that unit, that bureau, will assist companies, provinces, and local municipalities who bid for international events to prepare those bids but also to co-ordinate, as a country, those bids. Very often, we undermine each other, and other countries walk away with those very important international events. That will definitely make our approach more professional in that regard.
I would also like to respond to the issue of redeployment raised by the hon member Sinclair. It was also raised yesterday in the National Assembly by the hon members from the DA. Normally, when this issue is raised, it is raised as either redeployment, and very often it is raised with a very subtle race dimension. Yesterday in the National Assembly, it was done, not so subtly, by the DA but actually in a very unfortunate, very distasteful way, with regard to another appointment that I made, a senior appointment in one of our public entities. We dealt with that issue there.
However, let me respond to this issue in a very straight forward manner. When we, as the ANC government, appoint people, and we appoint people with what the opposition thinks is, not enough experience, they ask how we can appoint people without experience. On the other hand, when you appoint people with experience, they say it is redeployment, and we are just shifting people around; we are shifting around the deck chairs. I think the opposition should really decide what they want. I think the hon member Adams dealt very effectively with this insistence from the DA on redeployment, this coming from a party that is on the verge of redeploying their president. [Interjections.] When, in the ANC government, we are looking at appointing people - when we appoint boards, obviously, we are looking at balances, but I've always understood that to be the policy of the DA, of Cope, of everybody - of course, you look at language, gender, and all those issues. So, I don't know why we are criticised on that issue. When we appoint people in executive positions, you always look at who the best man or woman for that position is. That is the only criterion. [Interjections.]
I've said yesterday that in my six years in Cabinet, I've not had one experience where the President or Cabinet asked a question and put pressure on any Minister to say that in a specific position he or she should appoint somebody who is African or white. This has never happened, not once. It is always on merit. [Interjections.] The DA is now interjecting. Let me respond to it in this way. When we have to appoint ambassadors, we look very carefully at who we have to appoint. When we were approaching government to appoint the hon former member Gibson, did we say that we didn't want to appoint this member, because he criticised us too much, very often in a way that went against our grain and our being; or did we say that, possibly, it is good for the country, and he may make a contribution? When we were approached to appoint, and lobby to appoint, Mr Leon, what did we say? We said: Let's be open about this and that maybe he can make a contribution.
And it did not stop there. We were approached to appoint Sheila Camerer, to appoint Sandra Botha, and not once did we raise this issue publicly and say that it is redeployment, that it is unfair. They are all from one background. Not once did this happen, so I honestly think that the opposition should also deal with this issue more fairly and not abuse this House and the National Assembly, attacking people and public servants when they cannot defend themselves. Thank you, Chairperson. [Applause.]