LIMPOPO PROVINCE, POLOKWANE: Limpopo Tourism Agency (LTA) collaborated with Limpopo Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET) Sekhukhune District Municipality and Ephraim Mogale Local Municipality to host a successful media launch of the 2021 Tourism Month at a new establishment, Black Aloe Waterfront, at Letebejane village under Kgoši Matlala at the Ephraim Mogale Local Municipality.
The launch was preceded by a two-day media excursion of Sekhukhune District that sought to showcase the tourism wealth the region has with diverse attractions ranging from museums to agri-tourism projects in the area. Black Aloe Waterfront Resort was a hive of activity with the WMEC of LEDET, Mr. Thabo Mokone, Executive Mayor of Sekhuhune, Cllr. Stan Ramaila and local Mayor of Ephraim Mogale, Cllr. Molaudi Mothogwane and media participating in various activities such as boat cruise in the Flag Boshielo Dam, tubing, Game drive in the Schuinsdraai Nature Reserve and walking trails.
The central objective of the campaign that will be dedicated to the whole month of September is to drive domestic tourism through raising awareness and in the process encouraging local people to travel and explore various tourism experiences in the province and the country.
The World Tourism Day (WTD) is annually celebrated worldwide on the 27 th September annually under a specific theme. This year, United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) announced the theme “Tourism for inclusive growth”, under
which Tourism Month Campaign will be celebrated.
The purpose of World Tourism Day is to foster awareness among the international community on the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political and economic value. The event seeks to address global challenges outlined in the United
Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and highlight the contribution the tourism sector can make in reaching these goals. Every year, UNWTO invites people of all ages and backgrounds to hold and take part in WTD celebrations in their respective countries or holiday destinations.
Within this broad context, it is imperative that the province and the country in general to demonstrate the capacity for tourism to address triple challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality. These challenges, compounded by the
outbreak of COVID-19, are immediately felt by youth and women in general. During this year’s tourism month, it will be critical expose and unveil key tourism projects that respond to issues of unemployment.
MEC of LEDET, Mr. Thabo Mokone emphasized the need for Sekhukhune to be uplifted and he said, “As we are here today, we want the people of Sekhukhune to benefit from what we do as Government during the Tourism Month Campaign as we will be here for the whole of this week. We will also be busy with the Investment Conference for the next two days, but I will still come back here to explore Sekhukhune with the Executive Mayor of this region, Cllr. Stan Ramaila. We did our utmost to ensure that Fetakgomo-Tubatse Special Economic Zone goes through and to date R34 million has been budgeted for this project. We want to see Sekhukhune also keeping pace with other districts of the province as there is a lot of potential in the area”.
South Africa has chosen to convert this concept into a month-long celebration and thus named September, “Tourism Month”. A calendar of events has been generated to encourage local travel to all citizens to know their province. It is during this time that most of the provincial special tour packages are developed and tested via different media and content creator tours that are undertaken. It is important to note that the launch of Tourism Month was also an opportunity to announce the commencement of Limpopo Wildlife Mahala week from the 6 th to 12 th September 2021. The objectives of Wildlife Mahala Week are, firstly to get our people to acquaint themselves with what the provincial parks and resorts have to offer,
secondly to create a culture of travel and thirdly, to create awareness on nature conservation.
The eleven Limpopo Wildlife Resorts which will participate in the Wildlife Mahala week are: Lekgalameetse, D’Nyala, Nylsvlei, Doorndraai, Rust de Winter, Mokolo, Schuinsdraai, Wolkberg, Makuya, Nwanedi and Blouberg Nature Reserves.
Present at the launch was the local Mayor of Ephraim Mogale Municipality Cllr. Molaudi Mothogwane, with other councilors. Cllr. Mothogwane, who welcomed the guests at the event could not hide his excitement about his municipality being chosen
to play host to the 2021 Tourism Month as that would put it on the world map.
Sekhukhune is the home of Kings and Kingdoms and the home of many of our stalwarts whose contribution to our freedom and democracy we enjoy today is immeasurable. Sekhukhune district has enormous tourism potential that is yet to be unlocked. Tourism has labour absorptive capacity as it can create more job opportunities thereby reducing poverty, unemployment and inequality, which are triple challenges tormenting our society. I wish to encourage the people of Sekhukhune to create other avenues in the tourism value chain like what we see at Black Aloe Waterfront Resort.
This will make our visitors stay and spend as they come to our province. I wish to also plead with our people in the province to develop a culture of travel as that helps boost our economy but reenergizes our bodies and minds.
In his thanksgiving, the Executive Mayor of Sekhukhune District Municipality, Cllr Stan Ramaila, thanked the MEC of LEDET for the good work he continues to do of supporting the efforts of economic growth in Sekhukhune. I wish to thank you because for bringing this important event here today. We are also pleased because the media representatives who came today will help that the event gets known throughout South Africa and the world. I wish to thank MEC Mokone also for fast tracking the approval of Fetakgomo-Tubatse SEZ, which will no doubt boost the economy of the district.
May God bless you MEC Mokone!
#MoreToEnjoy
#GoLimpopo
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Released on behalf of all partners by:
KGATLA NTLHEKENG
MEDIA LIAISON OFFICER
LIMPOPO TOURISM AGENCY
Tel : 015 293 3600
Cell : 082 041 5116
Email : ntlhekengk@golimpopo.com
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