Thohoyandou; Limpopo Province: Limpopo Tourism Agency (LTA) and the Bvumbi family, who own Royal Hills Lodge and Spa as well as key stakeholders again met on the 18 th to celebrate the lodge's one year anniversary. The celebration of the establishment’s one year anniversary, was used as an opportunity to launch a new project for travellers to this part of the province, the new Royal Kruger Baobab Route.
As the establishment celebrates its 1 st anniversary since opening last year, there are great improvements to note such as the installation of Jacuzzi’s in the executive rooms, fully-fledged Health Spa, and a designed morning walk/run route
to encourage a healthy lifestyle to its guests, which the Chairperson of Integrated Destination Marketing (IDM) of LTA Board, Mr. Tseli, personally experienced during his visit to the establishment.
Dr Azwihangwisi Bvumbi of Royal Hills Lodge and Spa as he outlined the purpose of the function he said, “We are grateful to once again be with you after launching Royal Hills Lodge and Spa last year on this day. We came up with some
improvements such as installing Jacuzzi’s in executive rooms, fully-fledged spa and a designed walk/run route that gives you a maximum of 10km to promote a healthy lifestyle. We do all these to ensure that we do not only offer accommodation to our guests but provide experience with great memories about their visit to us. Over and above that, we took the advice from LTA seriously when we were told that Royal Hills Lodge and Spa is adding to the number of rooms in this region. We
wanted to contribute to tourism growth by introducing the new route by taking our guests to the Kruger National Park through the Punda Maria Gate and out through Pafuri Gate to Awelani Lodge for lunch. The route then continues to Sagole Big Tree, before which numerous Baobab trees can be seen along the road”.
According to Dr. Bvumbi, the self-drive route ends with a visit to Phiphidi Waterfalls for a picnic relaxation (romantic depending on the choice of the guest) before heading back to the lodge to retire for the night with a spa treatment.
Stakeholders present included both Thulamela Local and Vhembe District Tourism Associations, Thulamela Local and Vhembe District Municipalities, Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET), Kruger
National Park, media including SABC, Vhembe FM, Northern Media Group and the Mirror Newspaper. Phala Phala FM Programmes Manager, Ms. Sharon Ravele committed to assisting the lodge to successfully market the route.
All the stakeholders supported the initiative by Dr Bvumbi and pleaded with him to continue contributing to the growth of tourism in the region but Mr. Barry Ramunenywa, of Thulamela Tourism Association said, “Dr Bvumbi, the Association
wants you to assist by contributing to improve and grow tourism in the region as Vhembe used to be high on the tourism map, but other regions came and overtook it. Your involvement will help bring back that lost momentum. Mr. Mukundi
Mushaphi of Vhembe District Municipality on the other hand encouraged people to support this initiative but also appreciated the efforts and contributions by Dr Bvumbi.
The Chairperson of the Marketing Committee of LTA Board, Mr. Moses Tseli, who was part of the experience to experiment the route on the day, 18 September 2021 said, “As we celebrate one year anniversary of Royal Hills Lodge and Spa, LTA has once again joined hands with the product owners, Dr Azwihangwisi and Mrs Humbulani Bvumbi, to launch yet another massive project which we have to introduce to the country and the world as tourism gradually opens for business.
This birthday celebration and launch of Royal Kruger Baobab Route take place at the height of Tourism Month of a pact programme of activities since its launch on the 31 st August 2021 at the newly established tourism facility called Black Aloe
Waterfront Resort, another exquisite establishment in the deep rural of Letebejane Village in the Ephraim Mogale Municipality around Marble Hall, Sekhukhune District”.
Tseli, further said, “This year’s Tourism Month is celebrated under the theme, ‘Tourism for inclusive growth’, resonating well with what the launch of this new route will do, replication of growth of other value chains in the tourism sector. We
need to increase the duration of stay in the province thus contributing to economic growth of the province. The objectives of the Royal Kruger Baobab Route on the other hand are to encourage travelers to increase their stay at the lodge and
attract both business and leisure travellers into the lodge”.
Release on behalf of Limpopo Tourism Agency by:
MIKE TAUATSOALA
HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS & PR
LIMPOPO TOURISM AGENCY
Tel : 015 293 3600
Cell : 082 886 3294
Email : miket@golimpopo.com
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