Limpopo Tourism Calls For Tourism Products To Enter For ETEYA 2012 Competition

Limpopo Tourism Agency, trading as Limpopo Tourism and Parks (LTP), continues in its bid to ameliorate the tourism sector by encouraging all new tourism establishments and products to register for the annual ETEYA championships. ETEYA has to date run for an impressive10 years with this year’s ceremony taking place at the Tourism INDABA in Durban in May 2011.

The competition is open to all previously disadvantaged Black entrepreneurs (as defined in by the constitution of South Africa) with a tourism business that has been in operation for less than 5 years and has an annual turnover of not more than R5 million.

The main objective of hosting the competition is to raise service standards and reward entrepreneurs who go all out to give an authentic South African Experience. The Competition is a South African Tourism initiative in partnership with South African Breweries (SAB), various stakeholders and Provincial Tourism Authorities including Limpopo Tourism and Parks.

The Chief Executive Officer of the LTP, Mr. Rob Tooley, said, “In the last ten years of the competition, Limpopo Province has displayed its winning prowess in this sector by winning the overall first prize of the award three times in 2002, 2004 and 2006 while in 2009 the province managed receive the first runner-up award.

In 2007, 2010 and 2011, we received the second runner-up awards. This is a very impressive achievement for us as a province and we would like to continue on this path which assists in creating the necessary jobs in this sector of the economy.”

“We wish to urge tourism products across the board in the province to enter for this competition as this will help also uplifting the standard of the products in the province”, emphasized Tooley.

The SMME’s qualifying for this awards in terms of the requirements outlined should start registering for the competition and Limpopo the agency is prepared to take them through various Bed & breakfast and guesthouses/Backpackers and hostels, Caravan and Camping sites/ Country houses & Lodges, Hotels/Self catering, Cultural Villages, Game reserves, Restaurants, Business tourism, Tourist attractions, Adventure products, Conference centres, Tour operators and Travel agents for those SMME’s understand the requirements of these types of establishments.

Prizes to be won by participants in this competition include the following:

• 1st Prize: R100 000
• 2nd Prize: R75 000
• 3rd Prize: R50 000
• 4th Prize: R25 000  

All competition entries must reach the Limpopo Tourism & Parks Offices by end of day on 22nd July 2011.  Product owners are requested to call
015 293 3600 for more info.