Addressing last week's 2010 conference, hosted by the Institute for Local Government Management (ILGM), Chief Executive Officer of SA Tourism, Moeketsi Mosola said while people where excited about big infrastructural progress, basic services and projects should not be ignored.
"We can all contribute meaningfully in the success of the 2010 World Cup by sticking to what we do the best," said Mr Mosola.
"If waste removers do their job we'll have a clean country. Clean cities are an attraction of the visitors. If local government doesn't issue licensing documents for tour operators, it means our tourist won't be able get around," he said.
The CEO explained that local government could also help in effectively ensuring that attractions in their areas, such as restaurants, were clean and provided their services in a healthy environment.
"Municipal health enforcement is important," he emphasised to the delegates.
He also urged for municipal traffic officers to be specially trained to interact with tourists.
"We need police officers who can be tourism friendly. When we are lost we go to authorities not for harassment," he said, admitting to have received letters of complains from tourist about police harassment.
He also singled out road signs as an important function through which municipalities could help tourists find their bearings and identify places of interest.
Signs would also help tourists to avoid running into unscrupulous people.
Mr Mosola said signage was a challenge especially in the townships, for entrepreneurs who may have recently established bed and breakfast accommodation.
"I deal with a lot of people who come and complain that they applied for signage two-years ago and they have not been delivered," he said, going on to urge the local government officials to work with SA Tourism, in marketing their local tourist attractions.
"We have established a web portal and we need municipalities to give us information on their local tourist attractions and places such as Bed and Breakfast and restaurants to enable us to put them to the world."
He indicated the information should be updated and reliable. SA Tourism would make the information even more accessible to international travellers by translating it into Spanish and French, amongst others.
Regarding safety, Mr Mosola said law enforcement was not the only solution to curb crime in the area.
Some municipalities had been successful in preventing crime by identifying the hot spots and reclaiming them, by using the areas for meaningful economic activity by erecting trading stalls there.
Mr Mosola reminded delegates that tourism was a service, saying that if one person is unhappy, ten more people may not come to visit.
"You are only given one shot and you need to get it right," he said.