Roundup: S. African tourism falls victim to anti-foreigner violence

South Africa's tourism industry has fallen victim to recent anti-foreigner violence that has swept parts of the country, an industrial source said on Thursday.

A number of booking cancellations, particularly from neighboring countries, have been reported since the outbreak of the violence in late March, according to the South African National Parks (SANParks).

"A large proportion of guests to our national parks are international visitors and we appear to be sending a message that foreigners are not welcome in our country," SANParks said in a statement.

Countries like Britain and Australia have issued travel warnings for their citizens who want to visit South Africa.

Hotels, particularly some in Cape Town, also see a decrease in the number of tourists.

At least seven people have been killed, thousands left homeless and hundreds of foreign-owned shops looted in the recent wave of xenophobic attacks that started about three weeks ago.

"These attacks run contrary to everything that the struggle for liberation stood for and are undermining both social cohesion within the country and our international reputation," said Paul Daphne, SANParks' Head of Communications.

The violence seemed to die down on Thursday, but its impacts are beginning to be felt.

"We are also extremely worried about these occurrences as they could also undo years of successful work done in the establishment of the Transfrontier Conservation Areas which functions as part of cross border relationships in the research, tourism, cultural heritage, science and conservation functions," said Daphne.

"We have been working tirelessly to perfect a vision of vast conservation areas cutting across national borders, even soliciting the support of our late beloved statesman, Dr. Nelson Mandela, as Chief Patron of the Peace Parks concept," SANParks Chief Executive Officer, Fundisile Mketeni said.

He said the Transfrontier Conservation Areas are not just about conservation but also about building bridges within southern African society and breaking down the artificial barriers that were created between people by the colonial history.

"We fear that the current wave of attacks on our fellow Africans will undermine the good work that has been done in this regard," Mketeni said. Endi