"Initially I was a bit worried, as the murder looked like a 'conventional' gang murder - South African style," said tourism analyst Wolfgang Thomas.

"I am relieved that the new information suggests the event might not be your 'usual' gang murder but a planned murder. It seems the background of the crime is much more complex than one initially thought. I therefore would be amazed if the event has an impact on South Africa's mainstream tourism industry as has been suggested."

Anni Dewani was killed in Cape Town's Gugulethu Township last month, a few weeks after marrying UK businessman Shrien - of whom his company is said to be R44 million in debt.

In a sharp turn of events, the taxi driver who drove the couple on the night of the murder has told the Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions how the husband had approached him to find someone to kill his wife.

As a result Mr Dewani was arrested and will remain in custody after an appeal was lodged against his successful £250 000 bail application.

"Immediately following the tragic murder, there were concerns within the industry that there would be a negative affect on international bookings. However, this has yet to materialize," said Western Cape tourism Minister Alan Winde.

"As further complications around this case have emerged, it has become clear that it was not a random act. Of course, we will never know whether this event changed the minds of foreigners who were considering a visit and who had yet to book but cancelled their plans. We hope that they will receive the message that this was an isolated event and that, as witnessed by the swift response by our law enforcement officials, we do not tolerate crime against tourists visiting our destination."

Bongiwe Nzeku, a tourism officer at the Cape Winelands District Municipality, too is guardedly optimistic. "I think that to a certain extent the image of South Africa has been damaged, however the fact that the husband might be the mastermind could change the picture somewhat," she said. "Yet, in the end South Africans were implicated no matter how you look at it, which does not leave a squeaky clean image. Luckily that can be worked on."

According to Dutch journalist Ronald Kennedy, who moved to Cape Town in 2006, the murder won't deter the Dutch from visiting South Africa.

The Dutch, after the Brits and the Germans, are the third largest group of European foreign visitors traveling to South Africa.

"The murder barely ended up even in the Dutch papers, so I don't think people here will stay away as a result of this," he said whilst on holiday in his home country.

"Of course the events have been widely published in the British and Swedish press. I guess the impact of the crime there depends whether the locals believe Shrien is innocent or not, but I don't think the murder will have great and lasting consequences."

Cape Town Tourism CEO Mariette Du Toit-Helmbold said of all sectors, the township tourism trade has taken a knock

"The murder has resulted in the cancellation of many cultural and township tours. This deeply affects those in the community that look to tourism for their livelihoods," she said.

"For many young township dwellers, this exposure to the tourism industry whets their appetite to enter the profession. For others, such as crafters, restaurateurs and musicians, the tours are a lifeline to a livelihood. Cape Town Tourism is working with industry role-players and international partners to ensure that stability returns to the township tourism sector. It is very important that we are unified in our stance that the tragedy surrounding the murder of Dewani was, in fact, not a township tourism incident."