Britain Asks Halt in Promoting of S. Africa Tourism

The British government Thursday asked the country’s travel agents, tour operators and airlines not to promote South Africa as a tourist destination.

The decision to discourage tourism to South Africa was the result of a meeting here in August of Commonwealth heads of government. It is part of a package of measures designed to bring pressure on the Pretoria government to end its racial policy of apartheid.

“I hope that those involved will refrain from promoting tourism to South Africa, as a demonstration of the strong opposition in Britain to the principles and practices of apartheid,” Lord Young, the country’s employment secretary, said in a written comment.

He stressed that Britain is a free society and “it would not be right for us to take powers to restrict freedom of travel.” However, any decision to stop promoting tourism would be left up to the companies and groups concerned, he added.

The government also gave details of its voluntary ban on new investment in South Africa.

Trade and Industry Secretary Paul Channon told the House of Commons that “financial transactions and bank lending in support of normal trading activity” will be excluded from the ban, as would investments in training, health and social development.